Surrey Police officers will wear cameras while on duty from March, an initiative funded by the Police and Crime Commissioner Kevin Hurley.

More than 1,200 of the cameras, bought in by crime commissioner Kevin Hurley at a cost of £615,000, will be distributed from next month. They will be the same as used by officers in Hampshire, Thames Valley and Sussex.

The force said the Body Worn Video (BWV) cameras will capture evidence, which they hope will result in earlier convictions and avoid distressed victims having to give evidence in court.

But the introduction of cameras by the Metropolitan Police’s firearms unit was criticised as “not fit for purpose” last year because the devices were badly positioned, just below the shoulder, and were blocked when officers raised their arms.

The technology, which is currently used by police in Hampshire, Thames Valley and Sussex, will be used by frontline officers across the county.

PCC Kevin Hurley said: “I am very pleased that Surrey Police will be adopting the use of Body Worn Video as soon as we can procure the units this year.

“As Police and Crime Commissioner I have been keen to encourage the introduction of this enormously effective piece of kit for some time now and I look forward to witnessing the inevitable benefits.”

Detective superintendent Claire Pridgeon, who is also the director of the Surrey and Sussex digital enablement team, said the cameras would increase public awareness of the dangers police face.

She said: “There have been a number of recent incidents where, following a criminal trial, police forces have uploaded BWV footage onto social media in an effort to highlight the risks that officers face on a daily basis.

“Whilst in some cases this may be distressing it highlights to the general public the lengths police go to in order to keep people safe.”

In New York, USA, officers were made to wear body cameras after criticism of the police department’s stop-and-frisk strategy.

And across that country police forces are now grappling with the looming cost of storing thousands of hours of digital footage, which can exceed the initial outlay for the cameras, Time magazine reported.