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Renfrewshire Council Plan 2008 - 2012 Renfrewshire wins top award for community safety initiative
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A partnership initiative designed to tackle anti-social behaviour and violence within Renfrewshire has received a top award at the Scottish Policing Awards 2011.
The Bodyworn Video project was one of only two initiatives in Scotland to achieve an ‘outstanding contribution’ award in the Making Communities Safer category.
The initiative was developed by Chief Inspector John Laing whilst working in community policing at Johnstone, in conjunction with Renfrewshire Warden Service and the Procurator Fiscal service.
When the scheme was introduced in 2009, Renfrewshire became the first area in Scotland where both police and wardens started using the cameras.
Funding was provided by the Fairer Scotland fund and resulted in community police officers and wardens being issued with personal video cameras which were used on patrol in anti-social behaviour hot spots throughout Renfrewshire. The video evidence was thereafter made available to the criminal justice partners including the Procurator Fiscal, antisocial behaviour teams and Renfrewshire Licensing Board, as well as shown to parents of offending youths as an early intervention measure, all with positive results. In addition the cameras have been shown to provide officers and wardens with protection from verbal abuse, physical assaults and malicious complaints.
Chief Inspector Laing said: "Our use of the cameras has increased public reassurance and contributed to a 35% decrease in violent crime and a 23% reduction in anti-social behaviour offences in Renfrewshire during the evaluation period. In addition, cases with bodyworn video evidence are 80% less likely to go to trial at Paisley Sherriff Court, due to a significant increase in early guilty pleas. This not only reduces the need for victims and witnesses to attend court, but makes real savings in terms of criminal justice costs and results in increased patrol time for police officers and wardens in their communities."
He added "This award reflects the commitment of the team who supported the delivery of this initiative and the dedicated police officers and wardens who grasped the benefits of this technology and used it to positive effect throughout Renfrewshire."
The award also included a team from Grampian Police who later developed a similar initiative, with the two teams working together to share good practice and in a joint evaluation.
Councillor Kenny MacLaren, Renfrewshire Council's Community Safety spokesperson, said: "The introduction of bodyworn cctv cameras was an innovative partnership initiative that has proven to be a great success. The cameras have helped the wardens and the police to gather vital evidence of those involved in antisocial behaviour as well as acting as a deterrent to others. This is also a great example of how our organisations are working together to make Renfrewshire a safer place."
Press release issued: Thursday 12 January 2012
