POLICE officers in Derbyshire might soon be wearing body cameras, according the county's crime commissioner.
Alan Charles said a joint funding bid with Derbyshire police neighbouring forces has been applied for through the Home Office to pay for cameras, that are worn by officers out on jobs.
Today Metropolitan Police officers started wearing cameras on their uniforms as part of plans to boost transparency and increase convictions.
The cameras are designed to capture evidence at crime scenes.
The trial in London will see 500 devices distributed to officers across 10 boroughs in the capital.
Firearms officers will also use them in their training.
Alan Charles, Derbyshire police and crime Commissioner, said: "The early indications are that body worn video cameras do have a role to play in policing and have been found to be very effective on the street in calming down difficult situations when people who are misbehaving realise they are being filmed.
"They have also been found effective in domestic abuse situations, enabling officers to get an immediate recording of evidence.
"If we are to use body-worn cameras it should be in a co-ordinated manner across all police forces and to that end Derbyshire, with regional colleagues, has submitted a bid for funding to the Home Office Innovation Fund."
The exact number of body cameras that could be distributed to officers in Derbyshire will depend on whether this bid is successful.
Currently there are no such cameras being used in the county, a spokesman for Derbyshire police confirmed.
Mark Pickard, chairman of Derbyshire Police Federation, which looks after the interests of about 1,900 rank and file officers in the county, welcomed the bid.
He said: "Modern day policing involves using the very latest technology available and the body-worn cameras are just one example of how policing is moving with the times.
"The cameras ensure we get best evidence when dealing with incidents and can be very useful in court cases where identification could be an issue.
"The cameras can prove to be a deterrent to anti-social behaviour and can also help control public order offences once the public are aware they are in general use.
"Further, from a Police Federation and the general public's point of view, they can be used to provide invaluable evidence when there are complaints about officer conduct.
"In short, I feel they can be a positive tool for officers, victims of crime, offenders and the wider community and, with officer numbers falling, could prove to be even more important in the future."
Some forces, including Hampshire, already use the cameras which were first used by Devon and Cornwall Police in 2006.
Earlier this week, Bedfordshire Police said 60 body cameras would be used by front-line officers following a successful trial.
In London, officers will store material on the camera from each incident and keep it on file for a month unless it is required for evidential purposes.
Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said: "Our experience of using cameras already shows that people are more likely to plead guilty when they know we have captured the incident.
"That speeds up justice, puts offenders behind bars more quickly and protects potential victims."
