Body Worn Video (BWV) has been worn for the first time from today after being issued to 270 Authorised Firearms Officers (AFOs), across Devon and Cornwall Police and Dorset Police. The rollout of the cameras follows a successful trial and public consultation, say the forces.

The cameras will be issued to all firearms officers and represent a significant development in the use of technology to capture the best evidence.

This has proved particularly successful in domestic abuse cases where there has been an increase in earlier guilty pleas from offenders who know their actions have been recorded, say officers.

The cameras will be attached to the officer’s uniform and will not permanently record.

All footage recorded with Body Worn Video is subject to legal safeguards and complies with national guidance.

The video footage is uploaded to secure servers once the officer returns to the station, video that is not retained as evidence or for a policing purpose is automatically deleted within 31 days.

If the public wish to apply for footage taken of them they can apply, in writing, under freedom of information data protection laws. It must be within 31 days, unless it has been marked as policing evidence and is retained.