Firearms officers equipped with body-worn video cameras are patrolling London streets for the first time, Scotland Yard announced today.
Frontline armed officers who target gangs and armed criminals are being equipped with the cameras in a new trial aimed at restoring trust in the police.
They are the first armed officers in Britain to be equipped with the equipment.
The move comes after protests over the death of Mark Duggan, 29, who was shot by Met officers in Tottenham in August 2011 — sparking widespread rioting.
In January a jury ruled that Duggan was lawfully killed by armed officers even though the gun he had was not in his hand at the time.
After the inquest the Met announced the testing of body worn cameras. Officers in 10 London boroughs have been equipped with 500 small cameras. A small group of 14 firearms officers manning a “proactive unit” in Armed Response Vehicles have been equipped with the cameras.
The Trojan Proactive Unit is assigned to help boroughs beset with gun crime, violence and gang issues. Commissioner Sir Bernard-Hogan-Howe said: “This is the next step towards us improving our policing service to Londoners through the use of technology.
“It allows us to be more open and accountable to the public.”
