Police roll out body cams in Argyll

Around 400 officers including road policing officers, dog handlers and custody staff, will be provided with devices over the coming weeks.

The equipment can help to de-escalate incidents, improve public trust in policing and reduce complaints, as well as support officer and staff safety, and bring wider benefits to the criminal justice system.

Since its introduction in March 2025, over 864,000 recordings have been captured by the devices with almost 174,000 hours of footage uploaded of which over 55, 000 media files have been exported to our digital evidence sharing system, DESC.

Since taking command in October 2023, Chief Constable Jo Farrell has prioritised the introduction of body worn video.

Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Gary I’Anson said: “The national roll out of body worn video cameras to our frontline officers is a key priority for us and is one of the ways that we can work towards our vision of safer communities and less crime.

“The cameras and technology will improve the quality of evidence presented in court to deliver faster justice for victims by increasing early guilty pleas and reduce the time spent at court for victims, witnesses and police officers. 

“Body worn video can significantly enhance public confidence and support officer and public safety by providing effective and transparent evidence of police and public interactions.

"There is strong public and partner support for body worn video and we will continue to explain our use of this important technology including assurance around data privacy and human rights considerations."