Body-worn police cameras which are to be rolled out to all front-line officers later this year, have been demonstrated for the first time in public.

Body Worn Video (BWV) cameras, first trialled in this country in 2005, have been used by a number of other forces in the country in recent years with police chiefs in Norfolk and Suffolk last year confirming that officers in both counties would be using them in the second quarter of the year.

Cameras have proved particularly successful in gaining evidence in domestic abuse and assault cases and have been repeatedly called for by those representing the interests of officers in our region.

Last night the first public demonstration of the cameras in Norfolk was held at the police accountability forum aat King's Lynn.

Following the announcement on body cameras last year, Norfolk's police and crime commissioner Lorne Green, who had pledged to provide police with '21st century tools to fight 21st century crime', said they would help provide better protection for both the police and the public.

He said: 'The cameras will provide greater transparency over our officers' interactions with the public, providing community reassurance and building confidence. Use of body worn video has also been shown to help deliver justice more quickly for victims of crime. If they've been caught on camera, it is more likely perpetrators will take responsibility for their actions.'

The cameras will be attached to officers' uniforms and will not be permanently recording.

Members of the public will be told as soon as practicable that they are being recorded, and when the camera is recording it is very obvious – marked by a flashing red circle in the centre of the camera and a frequent beeping noise when it is activated.