Victoria Police body cameras trial to begin in April
TWO hundred police officers will wear body cameras from April in the first stage of a multimillion-dollar investment that authorities hope will help nab domestic abusers.
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TWO hundred police officers will wear body cameras from April in the first stage of a multimillion-dollar investment to be rolled out across Victoria over the next five years.
Law enforcement technology giant Axon will provide the body cameras to Victoria Police, which will be worn by 11,000 officers by 2020.
Officers stationed in Ballarat and Epping will be the first to wear the cameras from April, when the first 200 cameras will be introduced.
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The move will bring Victoria into line with NSW and Queensland, where they are already used.
Police believe the cameras will be a crucial tool for officers responding to family violence incidents.
New laws were introduced to the Victorian Parliament last August to ensure police officers could legally use body cameras.
The investment forms a part of the government’s $596 million Public Safety Package and supports recommendations from the Royal Commission into Family Violence, which called for the trial and evaluation of body cameras to collect statements from victims to use as evidence in court.
Police Minister Lisa Neville said: “Victoria Police will soon have some of the most advanced technology in the country thanks to the Andrews Government’s investment in new equipment and intelligence.
“Body-worn cameras will be a critical tool to respond to family violence issues and other crimes.
“Information is the lifeblood of modern policing and this technology will build on our huge investments in frontline policing and help keep Victorians safe.”
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The ability of the technology to capture real-time video evidence of the scene of a crime will be crucial, senior police believe.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Russell Barrett said: “We look forward to working with Axon to deliver this significant technology and capability uplift.
“This initial trial forms part of Victoria Police’s response to the Royal Commission into Family Violence.
“It is hoped that capturing family violence-related crime scenes and the immediacy of victim and perpetrator statements may improve the judicial process and reduce the impact of the justice process on victims by allowing them to make statements at the time of first police attendance.”