Since yesterday (19.02.2020), many of our officers throughout the district have been using the new bodycams. These were presented by the NRW Ministry of the Interior in September 2019. They have now arrived at our office.
The introduction of the bodycams is intended to have a de-escalating effect and defuse critical situations. They are intended to ensure the safety of our emergency services and make their work easier. We hope that the introduction of the bodycams will have a protective effect against assaults. In this context, District Administrator Dr. Ralf Niermann said: "If even one officer is protected from an assault through the use of the bodycam, the introduction has been justified."
The recently introduced neon yellow protective vests provide the basis for using the bodycams. Attached to them, the cameras are activated at the touch of a button and usually have to be announced before they are used. A red LED light signals that the cameras, which are worn at shoulder height, are recording. The videos recorded by the bodycam are deleted after 14 days. Unless they are used as evidence in the prosecution of criminal offenses. For this purpose, the images are automatically transferred to local servers in compliance with high security standards.
Due to the striking color scheme of the protective vests, which are also referred to in technical jargon as outer carrying sleeves (ATH) and which feature the clearly legible lettering 'Polizei' on the back, the visibility of our officers is significantly increased.
A video we created on the topic can be found on our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/polizei.nrw.mi/videos/2499494983606387/