Met Publishes Revised Body Worn Video Policy at 13:00
The Metropolitan Police published a revised body worn video policy at 13:00 on 25 May 2026, committing to release more footage from officers when it can improve transparency and trust in policing. The policy change follows recent releases, including video from first response officers after the knife attack in Golders Green.
Golders Green Footage
Within hours of the Golders Green attack, the Met released body worn video from the perspective of the first response officers. The force said it did so in response to an online narrative that criticised the force used by officers apprehending an armed man.
That same approach was used again last Saturday after a significant public order policing operation. The Met said the footage showed the abuse officers faced from protesters and the difficulty of intervening in dense crowds to make arrests.
Metropolitan Police Policy
Until now, body worn video was typically published only after criminal proceedings ended. The Met said those cases can take years to finish because of delays in the court system, which had limited when the public could see footage tied to live investigations.
The revised policy says any release must be necessary and proportionate. It also requires the Met to weigh data protection, operational risk and the impact on future legal proceedings before publishing video.
Court Safeguards
Where another organisation has primacy for an investigation, that organisation must approve the release of body worn video. The safeguard gives another body a direct role in deciding whether publication should go ahead when it leads the case.
The Met has also been increasing the amount of body worn video it posts on its social media channels in recent months. It said that included officers saving residents from a burning building, shoplifters caught in the act and arrested, and unarmed officers tackling a man with a suspected firearm.
The force said polling showed 60 per cent of those asked said they trusted the Met more after seeing footage of criminals being caught, while 81 per cent of Londoners believe the Met is doing a good or fair job. The new policy gives the force more room to publish footage sooner, but only when the legal and operational checks in the document are met.
