COPPERS are going hi-tech in the war against crime - by wearing video cameras on their heads to film incidents as they unfold.

Known as "headcams", these are North Yorkshire Police's latest weapon in their armoury to tackle antisocial behaviour.

The headcams are to be trialled over the next few months by a select group of police officers, response officers and police community support officers (PCSOs) in York.

The small cameras, which will just be visible, can be switched on as officers approach the scene of an incident.

Then, they digitally record whatever the policeman wearing them is seeing. A copy of any recording made can be used in court as evidence.

Acting Inspector Shaun Page said: "The use of headcams by North Yorkshire Police has the ability to positively impact on our big five objectives.

"These include reducing crime and antisocial behaviour, bringing more offenders to justice and reducing the fear of crime.

"The headcams will bring offenders to justice by producing compelling evidence for prosecution files and improve detections.

"They will reduce the challenge to officers in court and decrease the number of malicious complaints against police.

"In York, they should help relieve antisocial behaviour, significantly at night, and violence in the city centre or more general nuisance behaviour, for example by capturing the faces of nuisance youths.

"We are also hoping it will help reduce vehicle crime and allow officers to patrol with high visibility in vehicle crime and cycle crime hotspots."

Acting Inspector Page said the headcams have already been successfully trialled in Plymouth, where they provided compelling evidence in trials.

He said these not only helped with convictions, but also helped reduce the amount of time officers spend in court.

The Safer York Partnership bought the video cameras for the police at a cost of £600 per camera.

Two cameras have been purchased so far, and more will be bought if the trial proves successful, when it is hoped the Government will provide additional funds.


Headcams a brilliant deterrent' says nightclub boss

Last October, as reported in The Press, door staff at The Gallery nightclub in York were fitted with headcams to capture their interactions with customers as they left and entered the club.

Dave Harrison, town manager for Luminar Leisure at The Gallery, in Clifford Street, said they had proved a great success.

Mr Harrison said: "Using headcams has really helped because they record everything between the door men and our customers.

"The images are great quality, instant, with colour and sound. Watching the images is just like watching TV.

"The massive benefits to the police are that they can capture and collect evidence and the images can be burned on to a CD and used in court.

"We have not had any more prosecutions yet as a result, but we do have a means of collecting evidence now, and just having our doormen wearing them means they act as a brilliant deterrent."