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Blackburn PCSOs get body cameras to film yobs


ANTI-social youths will be caught on camera after police community support officers were given state-of-the-art bodycams.

Six of the £500 cameras have been bought for the South West Neighbourhood officers to pilot, using funding from the local strategic partnership board.

If they prove successful by helping to convict yobs and provide evidence for court orders, they could be rolled out across Blackburn with Darwen.

Sergeant Paul Schofield said the cameras, which have four hours recording time, had been used previously by response officers attending incidents such as domestic violence in East Lancashire.

He said: “They will certainly help us tackle anti-social behaviour because those people who are approached will know they are being recorded.”

Inspector Bilal Mulla said: “We’ve been trialling different types of body worn video devices for 12 months.

“It has been shown that they have reduced the number of complaints against police.

“PCSOs don’t always have the powers of a police officer and some members of the community show them no respect.

“They will increase the confidence of PCSOs as well as the confidence of the public.

“It will give us another tool in the box. We can educate people by showing them their behaviour, encouraging early guilty pleas or withdrawn allegations.

“The evidence can be used with individuals, parents and other organisations to try and manage offender’s behaviour.”

PCSOs have had familiarisation courses with the technology, which will be in operation this week.

The cameras are about the size of a mobile phone and capture sound and pictures. Officers have to tell people they are being recorded.

The devices, which have 4GB of memory and also work at night, were first used in Eastern division during the festive period.


Your Say YourTelegraph

blackburn south, darwen says...
12:47pm Wed 3 Feb 10

Were it says the cameras were first used in Eastern division I thought it said Eastern Europe.

akon, padiham says...
1:02pm Wed 3 Feb 10

REAL policemen & women on the beat are the answer not these cheap imitations.
Vote Labour ,Tough On Crime ?

happycyclist, Darwen says...
1:32pm Wed 3 Feb 10

What a joke. Get more real police on the streets and let the PCSOs do the paperwork.

Vote Labour at the General Election for another five years of this nonsense.

midas, burnley says...
1:42pm Wed 3 Feb 10

They should all have them! Video evidence makes the cross examination of officers much harder. Far to many of these yobs will only accept their behaviour is unacceptable when its shown to them on TV. The magistrates will also have a better understanding rather than accepting the mitigation put forward.

It makes no odds whether they are PCs or PCSOs, any law abiding person would give respect to both.

samspence, BLACKBURN says...
2:03pm Wed 3 Feb 10

Unlike the pcso,s yobs come out after tea and are back in bed before the pcso,s start again at breakfast time.

excaliber, Great Harwood says...
2:14pm Wed 3 Feb 10

No need for it. UK police will soon be spying on everyone using military type drones deployed in Afghanistan, adapted by BAE for civilian use.
http://www.guardian.
co.uk/uk/2010/jan/23
/cctv-sky-police-pla
n-drones

akon, padiham says...
3:20pm Wed 3 Feb 10

midas, burnley

Sorry DC midas

I think you are watching too many episodes of the bill !!

midas, burnley says...
3:44pm Wed 3 Feb 10

Now MrJelly do you have anything useful to contribute?

Lifeinthemix, Accrington says...
10:57pm Wed 3 Feb 10

Hi All.

Good grief this is insanity...
.
No for some sanity...
.
Only a police Constable can uphold the law in order to keep the peace. Police Officers are not operating for the constitution they operate for corporations.
.
Therefore police officers cannot even address you never mind enforce the law.
.
Full details :

http://www.lifeinthe
mixtalk.com/?p=9128

Hopping mad, Blackburn says...
11:01pm Wed 3 Feb 10

Its the blair witch project or the care snitch project. lol

demo1, blackburn says...
8:34am Thu 4 Feb 10

I have a lot of respect for the PCSO's tackling the jobs they have to with NO protection.The cameras mmmmm what will they do!

1)Show the bosses the abuse the PCSO have to put up with

2)Show the Bosses the jobs they are sent to ALONE!!!!

3)Identify the yobs before the lone PCSO gets attacked

If anything it may open peoples eyes that PCSO's are a positive asset to community policing

akon, padiham says...
9:04am Thu 4 Feb 10

Inspector midas, burnley police,

Put your dummy back in & stop sulking ....

midas, burnley says...
9:40am Thu 4 Feb 10

Well put demo1. Its hard to explain to Mr Jelly and his ilk, all they can mumble is "proper coppers" etc. The underlying problem is a combination of ignorance, selfishness and a lack of respect.

akon, padiham says...
10:20am Thu 4 Feb 10

midas, burnley

The underlying problem is that someone gave birth to a **** like you !!

midas, burnley says...
12:38pm Thu 4 Feb 10

akon wrote:
midas, burnley The underlying problem is that someone gave birth to a **** like you !!
Mr Jelly reverts to form!

akon, padiham says...
3:08pm Thu 4 Feb 10

midas, burnley
K*N*O*B

antony h, blackburn says...
3:09pm Thu 4 Feb 10

midas wrote:
They should all have them! Video evidence makes the cross examination of officers much harder. Far to many of these yobs will only accept their behaviour is unacceptable when its shown to them on TV. The magistrates will also have a better understanding rather than accepting the mitigation put forward.

It makes no odds whether they are PCs or PCSOs, any law abiding person would give respect to both.
What makes you think that most yobs will only accept their behaviour is unacceptable when its shown to them on tv?

Correct me if i am wrong but most yobs like to film it all on there mobile phones so they can watch it over and broadcast it on youtube ect for kicks.

They will collect all the evidence on the cameras for the courts to just give the yobs a slap on the wrists like they always do.

Hueman, says...
3:21pm Thu 4 Feb 10

Lifeinthemix wrote:
Hi All. Good grief this is insanity... . No for some sanity... . Only a police Constable can uphold the law in order to keep the peace. Police Officers are not operating for the constitution they operate for corporations. . Therefore police officers cannot even address you never mind enforce the law. . Full details : http://www.lifeinthe mixtalk.com/?p=9128
The days are long gone when the police were here to protect and assist the general public.
We now have what is essentially a corporate gang extracting money from us at every opportunity.
All police forces are registered as companies, companies exist for the sole purpose of making a profit.

Comments are closed on this article.


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