Question reference: S6W-01744
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 22 July 2021
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Current status: Answered by Keith Brown on 5 August 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is planning to roll out body-worn cameras for police officers, in light of comments by Police Scotland that this could lead to a “spike in guilty pleas”.
Answer
The issue of body-worn cameras is a policy and operational decision for Police Scotland, acting under the oversight of the Scottish Police Authority. However, as part of our budget allocation for policing this year, we have provided one-off funding of £500,000 to support their use by armed officers.
Police Scotland are currently running a public consultation on a wider roll-out body-worn video across the service which will assist them in protecting the public, their officers and staff and provide best evidence at court.
This consultation launched on the 1 June and is due to close on 31 August 2021. The results will help inform protocols, a code of practice and training to ensure that cameras are used in appropriate and proportionate way .