Body Worn Camera Trial – Public Consultation: Broads Authority

Posted on 05/07/2024 by surlinghampc

Body Worn Cameras – Public Consultation

The Broads Authority values the opinions of members of the public and interested parties on the use of body-worn cameras by front-line staff (Rangers, Quay Rangers and Planning Enforcement Officers). Your views will help shape our policies.

The body-worn cameras are to provide digital audio and images for law enforcement purposes and potential prosecutions when staff have faced aggression and violent behaviours.

Information such as videos and audio recordings that can identify an individual are classified as personal data under the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018).

Under the UK’s implementation of the EU General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), personal data must be processed using the seven data protection principles. (lawfulness, fairness, transparency, purpose limitation, data minimisation, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity & confidentiality, and accountability).

Additionally, data processed for law enforcement purposes must be processed in accordance with the principles set out in Section 35 of the DPA 2018:

Law enforcement purposes are defined in DPA 2018, section 30, Part 3 as “prevention, investigation or prosecution of criminal offences, or the execution of criminal penalties, including safeguarding against threats to public security”.

  • The Broads Authority is a competent authority consistent with section 30 (b) of the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) “any other person if, and to the extent that, they have statutory functions to exercise public authority or public powers for the law enforcement purposes
  • Under Part 3 Section 35(8) of the DPA 2018, there is another set of principles to be complied with:
  • a) The processing is strictly necessary for law enforcement purposes and
  • b) the processing meets at least one of the conditions in Schedule 8 and
  • c) at the time when the processing is carried out, the controller has an appropriate policy    
  • document in place.
  • As a data controller, the Broads Authority has robust policies and procedures in place to ensure compliance with the UK GDPR.
  • To launch the pilot for BWCs, the Broads Authority has conducted a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA), as per section 35 of the DPA 2018.
  • The purpose of the DPIA is to ensure proper consideration has been given to introducing this new technology because it will infringe on an individual’s data privacy rights.
  • The DPIA helps data controllers identify the risks and put actions in place to minimise them, such as training or processes and procedures.
  • The Broads Authority’s use of the BWCs is deemed necessary to exercise a function conferred on a person by an enactment or rule of law, as described in the DPA 2018 Section 8.
  • The Broads Authority will launch a pilot scheme and consultation on Monday, 8 July 2024, to test the effectiveness of body-worn camera technology in achieving law enforcement objectives. 
  • The pilot will end on 30 August.
  • The consultation will close on 13 September.
  • Reporting Timetable;
  • 7 November Navigation Committee – consultation on the principle and effectiveness of BWCs
  • 29 November Broads Authority – decision on whether to proceed with the use of body-worn cameras

Supporting Documentation will be available on our website (Consultation pages) from Monday 8 July:

  • Draft Policy on Body Worn Cameras
  • Data Protection Impact Assessment (for the trial period)
  • FAQ

Consultation Feedback

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