Recommendation - Merseyside Police, February 2024

The IOPC recommends that Merseyside Police should take steps to ensure that Body Worn Video (BWV) camera operators are familiar with the police force’s BWV policy regarding all the circumstances in which they must activate their BWV cameras.

This recommendation follows an IOPC review of Merseyside Police’s investigation into a complaint related to police attendance at a domestic incident. The complainant was arrested and subsequently made a complaint which included allegations that the police used excessive force.

Six officers attended the incident. However, in respect of the part of the incident complained about, only one of the officers had their BWV camera activated at the relevant time. This footage did not capture the entirety of the alleged use of force. The IOPC understands that at least two other officers present were wearing BWV cameras but failed to activate them. Had all the officers wearing cameras turned them on, this may have enabled the full extent of the force used to be established.

Merseyside Police’s BWV policy sets out when BWV must be recorded, which includes when attending domestic-related incidents. It also states that, where multiple BWV operators are at the scene of an incident, it is mandatory for all (if wearing a BWV camera) to switch on their BWV cameras. 

Accepted:

Merseyside Police are in agreement with your findings. We agree that Merseyside Police should take steps to ensure that BWV are familiar with force policy.  

Since the initial recommendation. This is what we have done and are doing to address this. I am uncertain what if anything we can do further.    

For clarity, it is force policy that officers activate BWV at all instances of domestic abuse and for Stop and Search.  

As a force we are working hard to drive and ensure the use of BWV. This includes Chief Officer support and communication has been delivered by Chief and DCC regarding the necessity during force meetings.

The other mechanisms for our communication of the policy are include. 
•    PSD newsletter.
•    PSD Prevention ‘PowerPoint’ presentation titled Trust and Confidence. This contains a specific reference to BWV being mandatory at Domestic Abuse and stop and search. 
o    This presentation is personally delivered by PSD command team members to key.        
•    I am also personally delivering a series of ‘Town Hall style’ engagement events across the force in December/ January. The aim is to launch ‘Call it out phase II’. I will specifically mention the BWV and the requirement to ensure.
•    As a force we are aware of instances when officer(s) have deployed to incidents but not worn their BWV. We recognise that there have been instances when it was not able for them to access. This is due to some allocation and availability challenges that the force is working to address.

As I force, I believe that we are taking all reasonable and proportionate steps to address these identified in this case.