Gendarmerie: Body Camera

Body-worn cameras are increasingly used by law enforcement. Indeed, they allow recording the course of an intervention and are intended to ease relations between law enforcement and the population. These cameras also make it possible to record certain infractions. They are mainly implemented within gendarmerie brigades and surveillance and intervention platoons covering more "sensitive" urban sectors.

Summary: 

• Use
• VB400 Camera

As a general rule, recordings are triggered at the initiative of law enforcement, in any public or private place. People being filmed cannot oppose it. Note that since March 1, 2017, identity checks carried out in priority security zones by personnel carrying these devices are systematically recorded.

Following the recording of this data, it is stored in secure spaces and access is strictly limited to the procedural framework. All of these sounds and images are kept for a period of six months before being destroyed. 

The VB400 camera will be the new camera for the gendarmerie starting July 2021. It is designed to protect officers and citizens while providing irrefutable proof of professional integrity. It offers high-definition 1080p wide-angle recording, which provides a completely immersive point of view. Its reinforced shell resists rain, snow and dust to be effective in all situations. 

Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections are integrated, which allows the simultaneous activation system to function. When the team leader triggers their camera, those of their colleagues start filming at the same time. This system will make it possible to obtain different camera angles of an intervention. The VB400 also has pre-recording and post-recording features that allow it to continuously capture audio and video sequences, without needing to press the record button. These features can be of real interest in order to transcribe the entirety of an arrest while ensuring better protection for isolated workers or personnel working in dangerous areas.

This camera has a capacity of 12 hours of recording with a single charge. It is also compatible with "Holster Aware" which is a connected system that allows video capture to begin as soon as the weapon leaves its holster. Currently, the ministry has not wanted to fund this accessory, but it could be associated with this camera in the coming years.