PRESS RELEASE
New SIPR-Funded Study Highlights Frontline Officers’ Experiences of Body Worn Video in Scotland
A new pilot study authored by Dr Corinne Fenech of Glasgow Caledonian University sheds fresh light on how frontline police officers in Scotland are experiencing the national roll-out of Body Worn Video (BWV) technology. The report, Contemporary Challenges Faced by Police Officers in Scotland – A Focus on Body Worn Video, was funded by the Scottish Institute for Policing Research (SIPR) and explores the cultural, operational and psychological dimensions of BWV implementation.
Drawing on qualitative group interviews with officers at different stages of BWV adoption, the study highlights overwhelmingly positive attitudes among officers already using the technology, who emphasise benefits such as improved evidential clarity, reduced complaints, and enhanced professionalism. Officers also identified BWV as a tool that helps foster transparency and mutual accountability between police and the public.
However, the research stresses that successful long-term adoption requires thoughtful change management. Officers described initial self-consciousness when first using BWV, concerns about internal trust and surveillance, and frustrations with online only training. Technical challenges, including software incompatibility and device malfunctions were also highlighted as ongoing barriers.
The report presents a series of exploratory recommendations, including strengthening internal communication about oversight processes, improving training approaches, enhancing technical infrastructure, and taking an ethical, proactive stance on future policing technologies. It also emphasises the role of BWV in supporting procedural justice, organisational legitimacy, and positive police public relations.
Dr Corinne Fenech said “It has been a privilege to be funded by the Scottish Institute for Policing Research, supported by Glasgow Caledonian University and to collaborate with Police Scotland on such a meaningful topic. BWV in policing, and the way it shapes evolving relations between police and the public, is an area that deserves close attention. I hope this work contributes, even in a small way, to understanding the challenges of dynamic and complex environments, while highlighting the importance of ethical decision-making at the heart of policing and in service to society.”
Professor Kirsteen Grant said “SIPR is pleased to have supported this valuable pilot project. At a critical juncture in the national rollout of BWV technology, this research provides an important snapshot and qualitative insight into frontline officers’ lived experiences of the implication and adoption of this technology, as well as affording consideration to the implementation of future policing technologies.”
About the Study
The research aligns closely with Police Scotland’s 2030 vision and SIPR’s strategic priorities around digital policing, wellbeing and organisational capability. It represents an early evidence base to support national BWV roll-out and invites further dialogue on ethical, technological and organisational dimensions of modern policing in Scotland.
Review full report https://bit.ly/48J2awk
