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Investment of £2 million for 5,600 body-worn
cameras.
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A further £1 million for the introduction of new
‘police-style’ handcuffs and restraints.
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Four prisons to trial the use of PAVA incapacitant
spray to boost officer safety.
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Every prison officer in England and Wales now has
access to body-worn cameras after 5,600 were rolled out as part
of a security boost announced today by Prisons Minister
.
With an investment of over £2million, the cameras will act as a
visible deterrent against violence and will assist in
prosecutions against those who commit crimes in jails.
A further £1million is being invested in new ‘police-style’
handcuffs and restraints, whilst four prisons will also trial the
use of PAVA incapacitant spray, giving prison officers an
additional tool when dealing with violent offenders.
The package forms part of a commitment by the Government to
ensure prison officers have the right resources for the job and
that strong evidence is available for use against those who are
violent towards them.
Prisons Minister said:
I am absolutely determined to tackle head-on the issues that
undermine the safety and security of our prisons and to ensure
our dedicated officers have the tools they need to do the job.
That is why we have introduced a range of measures to boost
security – bringing 300 sniffer dogs trained in detecting
psychoactive substances and putting in place technology to
block mobile phones.
This latest investment underlines our commitment to transform
our prisons into places of safety and reform and should send a
clear message to those intent on thwarting our efforts to make
progress that we will do everything in our power to stop them.
Following successful trials in 22 establishments, officers at
every prison across England & Wales now has access to a
body-worn cameras. These devices are being used to record
incidents, acting both as a deterrent and evidence to aid
prosecutions.
It follows the start of a rollout of body-worn cameras by the
Metropolitan Police Service, which announced it would be issuing
cameras to 22,000 frontline officers in October last year.
Together with the rollout of rigid bar handcuffs and restraints,
these will provide prison officers the confidence they need to
act swiftly and safely. The new restraints will reduce the need
for staff to use physical holds to control aggressive prisoners,
improving safety for both staff and prisoners.
In addition, four prisons are to trial the use of PAVA
incapacitant spray. It will mean that regular,
establishment-based officers will for the first time have the
power to deploy PAVA when a prisoner is armed with a weapon and
it is deemed the most appropriate way to subdue the offender
without putting themselves at risk of serious injury.
Governors at priority prisons have already been given an
additional £10 million to help promote safety and tackle the
influx of violence. This funding has ramped up security measures
by providing additional 24-hour patrol dogs, CCTV cameras, mobile
phone detection technology, and metal detectors.
This is in addition to boosting staff numbers on the front line,
and we have already brought in 1,290 extra officers – passing the
halfway point of our target of 2,500. The Government is also
backing a bill to increase sentences for those who attack
emergency workers, including prison officers.
Notes to editors
- The four prisons that will trial PAVA are HMP Wealstun, HMP
Risley, HMP Preston and HMP Hull
- Staff are currently being trained in how to deploy the spray
- Specialist National Tactical Response Group officers already
have access to PAVA.
