Police Scotland will use BWV to deter Bonfire Night disorder

From Wednesday (October 22), officers in Edinburgh, as well as the Lothians and Borders, will be equipped with the new devices in preparation for Bonfire Night.

It marks the half-way point of the national roll out of BWV. Around 1,800 officers, including road policing officers and dog handlers, will be equipped with the cameras over the coming weeks.

Deputy Chief Constable Jane Connors said: “The national roll out of the body worn video cameras is a key priority for us and is one of the ways that we can work towards our vision of safer communities, less crime and to support the safety of our officers.

“As Halloween and Bonfire Night approaches having officers on the streets with the capability to record audio and visual evidence can and should act as a deterrent to those considering engaging in criminal activity.

“Investigations into fireworks-related crimes can and will continue following Bonfire Night and anyone who commits an offence will be pursued and BWV footage will aid those investigations.”

With the whole of the east of Scotland now using BWV cameras, Police Scotland says this marks “a key milestone” since the project got underway in Tayside in late March 2025.

Since their introduction in March 2025, more than 140,000 recordings have been captured by the devices with almost 32,000 hours of footage uploaded, of which more than 8,500 media files have been exported to its digital evidence sharing system, DESC.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “I welcome this important milestone in the national roll-out of BWV, which can increase public confidence in policing and improve safety for officers and staff. It can also benefit victims and witnesses of crime by allowing cases to be brought to court sooner.

“The Scottish government’s record investment in policing is enabling the rollout of this transformational technology, which is supported by our world-leading £33 million initiative for sharing digital evidence from crime scene to court room.”

During this first phase of the BWV roll out more than 10,500 Home Office approved Motorola Solutions VB400 cameras are being issued to frontline officers from constable to inspector ranks, and to police custody staff, across the country.

Police cotland says the equipment can help to de-escalate incidents, improve public trust in policing and reduce complaints, as well as support officer and staff safety, and bring wider benefits to the criminal justice system.

Ms Connors added: “The technology will also improve the quality of evidence presented in court to deliver faster justice for victims by increasing early guilty pleas and reducing time spent at court for victims, witnesses and police officers.

“BWV can significantly enhance public confidence and support officer and public safety by providing effective and transparent evidence of police and public interactions.

“There is strong public and partner support for BWV in Scotland and we will continue to explain our use of this important technology including assurance around data privacy and human rights considerations.”

BWV will be rolling out into the west of Scotland in early 2026 as the number of officers using the devices increases.