Public safety focus on BWV
Body-worn video (BWV) has become a major topic for public safety organisations across Europe, with all frontline police officers in Malta the latest to be issued with cameras.
The Malta Police Force is deploying Motorola Solutions’ VB400 BWV camera, which incorporates the new ‘Holster Aware’ feature that allows the camera to automatically start recording if a weapon is unholstered.
The deployment announced earlier this month came on the same day that NHS England confirmed BWV cameras were to be issued to paramedics across England, and just weeks after the Government issued a recommendation that all police forces should increase accountability and safety through the use of BWV.
It also followed the news that Motorola Solutions had agreed one of its largest-ever deployments of BWV cameras in a 15 million euro deal with the French Ministry of the Interior.
NHS England said the cameras were being introduced after data showed 3,569 ambulance staff were physically assaulted by the public last year – 30 per cent more than five years ago. Following successful trials in London and the North East, the cameras are being rolled out to crews in the ten ambulance trusts across the country – three years ahead of the NHS Long Term Plan target.
The roll-out by Malta Police Force is part of its transformation strategy, which aims to modernise the service while increasing trust and transparency with the community.
As well as Holster Aware, the five-year service contract for the comprehensive video solution includes evidence management software to process captured video footage securely.
“Every day, these body-worn cameras will capture evidence, deliver transparency and increase the efficiency of our workflows,” said Malta Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà. “In high-stress situations – which our officers often face – this technology will capture critical footage of what’s happening on the scene without impacting our officers’ focus or attention.”
Integrated with the VB400 cameras, the new Bluetooth-activated Holster Aware sensor detects if an officer removes their weapon from its holster and automatically activates the officer’s BWV camera to start recording. When this occurs, the BWV cameras of officers in close proximity will also activate, providing a holistic view of the situation from multiple perspectives. As part of the agency’s workflow, the video footage will be directly uploaded, securely stored and organised using Motorola Solutions’ VideoManager evidence management software.
“Malta Police Force joins police agencies around the world in adopting our integrated BWV and cloud-based evidence management solution to increase transparency and allow police officers to focus on keeping communities safe”, said Michael Kaae, regional vice-president of Europe.
Motorola Solutions’ VB400 BWV cameras are widely adopted by frontline emergency teams, including the National Police in France, Belgium Police, Romanian Police, Romanian Border Police and multiple police forces across the UK.
The French Ministry of the Interior is issuing 30,000 of Motorola Solutions’ VB400 BWV cameras to its National Police and the Gendarmerie (military police) to modernise policing.
The roll-out is expected to start in July and will support the French government’s goal to improve trust and safety in policing by having all law enforcement officers wearing body-worn cameras.
“Maintaining safety and integrity in all interactions between police and the community is a major priority for the National Police and the Gendarmerie, and video technology plays a vital role in achieving this,” said Jack Molloy, Motorola Solutions executive vice-president, product and worldwide sales.
The BWV cameras will feature VideoManager evidence management software, and future developments include Holster Aware and an Android-compatible application that enables officers to view and categorise footage in the field.
Helmet cameras for motorcycle officers will also be provided to capture high-definition footage even when riding at high-speed.
