Forces should do more to share body-worn video to show two sides to every story

30 November 2020

Forces should do more to share footage from police officers’ body-worn cameras to show that there are two sides to every story, the Essex Police Federation Chair has said.

Laura Heggie was speaking after the National Police Chiefs’ Council hit out at the “hideous phenomenon” of members of the public sharing mobile phone footage online.

Martin Hewitt, NPCC Chair, said: “We are seeing bits of footage released… they go viral and officers and their forces get pilloried. I can only imagine how hideous that must be if you were that officer. There’s a real opportunity to get some guidance out quickly here… to make sure everyone understands the parameters. It’s also about the mindset that we are going to do everything that we can do positively to counter some of the nonsense that we see. It’s a hideous phenomenon.”

Essex Police is now doing more to defend officers when footage is shared online, Laura said. She said: “The force needs to stand up for their officers. Nobody’s saying that anyone’s done anything right or wrong necessarily, but they should be able to give a balanced account of what’s happening rather than a bland and ambiguous statement. If they don’t do that, you can’t complain when the public comes to their own conclusions.

“Everyone has got a mobile phone now and I don’t think people really consider the potential consequences of what they’re posting online. This is a real shame because it can be devastating for officers when it goes viral online. That officer is then being identified and subject to a lot of unjust and unfair commentary. And their family is seeing that. We can’t stop people filming things, but forces can do more to provide accurate information when this happens.”

The Police Federation of England and Wales has been campaigning for forces to release body-worn video and are now in discussions with the Home Office – and the move has the support of Home Secretary and Essex MP Priti Patel.