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Almost all frontline officers across the Metropolitan Police will be wearing body cameras within a year, it was announced today.

Boris Johnson unveiled plans for the roll-out of 20,000 body cameras across the force to fight crime and help boost public confidence in the capital.

The Mayor confirmed all uniformed neighbourhood and response officers would be equipped with the new technology by the end of March 2016.

The roll-out, which has been strongly supported by Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan Howe, follows the completion of the world's largest trial which saw 550 body cameras used across 10 London boroughs as well as armed response teams.

The Met believes the technology, which will cost in the region of £10m, will help restore trust in the police among some communities, in particular reducing tensions during stop and search.

As well as boosting transparency and reducing complaints, officers are less likely to be assaulted and the evidence collected can help secure more convictions for offences like domestic violence.

The trial showed the cameras could help increase the number of early guilty pleas, helping to speed up the justice process.

However, some civil liberties campaigners say the move would put everyone under suspicion.

Mr Johnson told the London Assembly: "This is exciting technology that will build trust, help the police do their jobs, and allow the public to hold officers more accountable.

"Our plans for the roll-out of body worn video will make the technology available to more officers in a single city than anywhere else in the world and is a giant step towards a truly 21st century police force for London.â€

The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime will lead a London-wide public engagement exercise to explain how the technology works and where and when Londoners might encounter it.

The London Policing Ethics Panel, chaired by Lord Carlile, has announced it will produce the UK's first report into the ethical guidelines to officers in using the cameras this autumn.