MARBELLA police’s new bodycams have already secured convictions for violent criminals in their first five months of operation, including a towering Russian man who was filmed kicking his girlfriend in the street.
The shocking footage proved so damning that a judge convicted the 1.90cm (6ft 3) tall abuser even though his victim refused to press charges, police have revealed.
The case highlights the game-changing impact of eight body-worn cameras now being tested by Marbella’s Policia Local, which transmit live video directly to the force’s command centre and capture everything that happens in the two minutes before an officer hits record.
The devices have already been deployed at traffic stops, domestic violence callouts, street brawls and major public events including the town’s summer ferias in Marbella and San Pedro.
Officers say the cameras are proving invaluable both as evidence in court and as protection against false complaints about police brutality.
In one incident, a drugged-up 18-year-old who was arrested after ignoring police orders had to be physically restrained.
His family later filed a complaint alleging excessive force, but the bodycam footage vindicated the officers by showing they used only the minimum necessary force.
Sub-inspector Cristobal Fernandez, who oversees the force’s technology systems, said that prosecutors now accept the footage as legally admissible evidence in court.
“If we film a driver under the influence of alcohol, that image is irrefutable,” he said.
“It’s legal protection for the officer and a guarantee of transparency for citizens. The officer knows he’s protected, and citizens can be certain their treatment is being recorded.”
The bodycams add to Marbella’s existing surveillance network of 361 fixed cameras scattered across the municipality, as well as cameras built into the police force’s Taser stun guns, which automatically start recording when the weapon is fired.
Fernandez said the cameras have a powerful deterrent effect, with people often calming down as soon as they’re told they’re being filmed.
However, officers are not legally required to inform people they’re being recorded.
The town hall now plans to purchase between 20 and 40 more bodycams with the ultimate goal of equipping every officer on patrol with their own device.
Police say the cameras could also prove useful in tackling organized crime, with Fernandez noting: “We have many requests for fixed cameras. At key moments, bodycams could also help facilitate these investigations.”
The technology has already been tested in high-pressure scenarios and has helped alert emergency services including firefighters and paramedics to serious traffic accidents, as well as documenting confrontations with aggressive suspects.
Social media criticism of police arrests has also been countered by releasing bodycam footage showing what actually happened.
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