£3 Million Investment Gives Overseas Prison Officers Body-Cams

£3 Million Investment Gives Overseas Prison Officers Body-Cams

Officers welcome Ministry of Justice's new measures for England and Wales, including trial of incapacitant spray.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Oct 27, 2017

The Ministry of Justice has announced prison officers across England and Wales will have access to body-worn cameras as part of a £3 million investment to improve safety in jails.

The announcement detailed that £2 million of the investment will go to purchasing 5,600 cameras meaning every prison officer in England and Wales will have a device. The other £1 million will be invested in "police-style" handcuffs and restraints to reduce the need for staff to use physical holds to control aggressive prisoners.

Four prisons in the area will also trial the use of incapacitant spray, similar to pepper spray, for dealing with violent offenders.

Prison Minister Sam Gyimah told reporters that the increased security measures would ensure officers have the right tools for the job and allow them to tackle "head-on issues that undermine the safety and security of our prisons."

In addition to the body-cameras and police-style equipment, the prisons have brought in 300 sniffer dogs trained in detecting psychoactive substances and putting in place technology to block mobile phones from working.

"This latest investment underlines our commitment to transform our prisons into places of safety and should send a clear message to those intent on thwarting our efforts to make progress," Gyimah said. "We will do everything in our power to stop them."


About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • 5 Tips to Improve Your Password Security

    Change Your Password Day is right around the corner. Observed every year on February 1, the day aims to raise awareness about cybersecurity and underscores the importance of keeping passwords strong and up to date. Read Now

  • Enhancing Port Security

    DP World Yarimca, one of the largest container terminals of the Gulf of İzmit and Turkey, is a strong proponent of using industry-leading technology to deliver unrivaled value to its customers and partners. As the port is growing, DP World Yarimca needs to continue to provide uninterrupted operations and a high level of security.To address these challenges, DP World Yarimca has embraced innovative technological products, including FLIR's comprehensive portfolio of security monitoring solutions. Read Now

  • Hot AI Chatbot DeepSeek Comes Loaded With Privacy, Data Security Concerns

    In the artificial intelligence race powered by American companies like OpenAI and Google, a new Chinese rival is upending the market—even with the possible privacy and data security issues. Read Now

  • Survey: CISOs Increasing Budgets for Crisis Simulations in 2025

    Today, Cyber Performance Center, Hack The Box, released new data showcasing the perspectives of Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) towards cyber preparedness in 2025. In the aftermath of 2024’s high-profile cybersecurity incidents, including NHS, CrowdStrike, TfL, 23andMe, and Cencora, CISOs are reassessing their organization’s readiness to manage a potential “chaos” of a full-scale cyber crisis. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden CM-221 Series Switches

    Camden Door Controls is pleased to announce that, in response to soaring customer demand, it has expanded its range of ValueWave™ no-touch switches to include a narrow (slimline) version with manual override. This override button is designed to provide additional assurance that the request to exit switch will open a door, even if the no-touch sensor fails to operate. This new slimline switch also features a heavy gauge stainless steel faceplate, a red/green illuminated light ring, and is IP65 rated, making it ideal for indoor or outdoor use as part of an automatic door or access control system. ValueWave™ no-touch switches are designed for easy installation and trouble-free service in high traffic applications. In addition to this narrow version, the CM-221 & CM-222 Series switches are available in a range of other models with single and double gang heavy-gauge stainless steel faceplates and include illuminated light rings.

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.