NT cops roll out body cams

FRONTLINE police will be equipped with body worn cameras in a Territory wide roll out of the new technology

FRONTLINE police will be equipped with body worn cameras in a Territory wide roll out of the new technology.

Police will introduce 820 cameras at a cost of $500,000, allowing officers to record evidence of crimes as it happens.

The cameras are purpose made and will be implemented after a trial which extended more than a year.

NT Police Sergeant Chris Brand said the footage had been used in court and would only be kept if used as evidence.

“Anything that is kept for evidently or court purposes will be treated the same (as other forms of evidence) and will essentially require Superintendent and above approval to be destroyed or returned to the owner,” he said.

Senior Sergeant Serge Bouma models the new body cameras. P icture: JUSTIN KENNEDY

He said the cameras were tested to meet the rugged NT conditions.

“We’ve got some fairly tough climate conditions. We get down to minus eight degrees in Alice Springs, right up to 50C in the desert and we have up to 100 per cent humidity at times.”

Footage captured on the technology of a hoon caught doing a burnout.

He said officers were not legally required to notify a person they were being recorded.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of Crime Kate Vanderlaan said police worked with the Privacy Commission to establish guidelines but wouldn’t specify what they were.

She said the trial found offenders calmed down when on camera.

“That is a significant bonus. If people can be calmed by the fact they are being videoed that will be safer for the people we are talking to and safer for our officers,” she said.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the cameras reduced paperwork and kept police on the beat for longer.

“It does help police do more work on the beat. With the camera it’s easier to collect evidence and it means you’ve got less time doing paper work,” he said.

“This is for the frontline, the traffic police have theirs and all frontline police will have theirs. There are about 820, you are essentially covering all the police on the frontline and duties.”