Melbourne police begin using body cameras

Police officers in Melbourne's north will from Wednesday be able to record incidents with body-worn cameras.

Police in Melbourne's north will be the first to record incidents with body cameras as the first stage of a statewide rollout begins.

The body-worn cameras will be rolled out at Epping on Wednesday and then in Ballarat next week, with plans to equip all frontline police with the technology by 2020.

"Police will be turning the cameras on whenever they are exercising police powers, collecting evidence or when it would provide transparency to a police interaction," Commander Russell Barrett said.

A total of 150 cameras will be deployed under the six-week pilot, with information from the trial helping inform policies ahead of a full roll-out of 11,000 cameras to officers statewide.

Body-worn cameras are already used by police in NSW and Queensland.

The public will know when cameras are recording, as there will be a red flashing light.

Officers will not be able to delete or alter the footage and it will be kept for a minimum of 90 days.

Commander Barrett expects the technology will deliver improved community safety, enhance evidence gathering and increase police safety and accountability.

Police Minister Lisa Neville said the investment is part of the government's $227 million investment to modernise police technology.

"We're giving police the most advanced technology in the country to help them do their jobs and keep Victorians safe," she said.


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Source: AAP



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