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Cardiff to give bodycams to parking officers

09/02/16

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City council to train CEOs in using video to collect evidence of threats or false allegations

Cardiff City Council is to equip its civil enforcement officers (CEOs) with body-worn video cameras in an effort to protect them from threats, violence and spurious allegations from the public.

The council highlighted its desire to protect CEOS, who hand out fines for parking offences, saying the cameras could provide evidence of any physical or verbal abuse.

Its cabinet approved the measure late last month and the cameras should be issued to 50 officers by 1 April.

A spokesperson told UKAuthority that the council is currently testing different cameras before deciding on which model to use.

It is planning to train officers in using the cameras and will adopt a policy that they should be used only when incidents occur, although this could be reviewed in the future. Anyone involved in an incident will be told the cameras are being used whenever practical.

Any recordings will be downloaded at the end of a shift and kept in “specific encrypted locations”.

Duty of care

Cabinet member for transport, planning and sustainability, Ramesh Patel, said: “The council has a duty of care to protect our CEOs as they carry out difficult but hugely important roles.

“Currently our CEOs can be the victim of spurious allegations, verbal abuse, aggressive threats and acts of violence from some members of the public. These body cameras will be part of a range of preventive measures that will help to protect them as the material they record can be used as evidence in a court of law.”

Cardiff is following the lead of Swansea City & County Council in fitting out its CEOs with body cameras.

Image from Cardiff City Council

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