Liverpool traffic wardens to wear body cameras to tackle abuse

Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) are at the visible frontline of parking enforcement across the city to ensure that parking on the public highway is enforced and managed effectively. However, some of the staff employed by Liverpool Council to hand out tickets to errant drivers can be abused, both verbally and physically.

As a result, the city council is dipping into its coffers to purchase 75 body-worn devices to combat bad behaviour towards its staff. A total of £150,000 is to be spent on the first tranche of devices.

According to a delegated authority report signed off on October 18, the city’s neighbourhoods and housing team has approved the cash to protect officers amid the “volatile situations” they experience while out on the street. The document said: “In line with the council’s zero tolerance on abuse towards staff and to help the health and safety of both CEOs and the public, it is proposed to procure body worn cameras so that video evidence of interactions with the public is available as CEOs perform their duties on-street.”

Members of the public can also submit allegations of abuse and threats from CEOs, meaning the cameras would help identify fact from fiction. It is also said video evidence would be available when allegations of verbal or physical abuse are made, and it is also expected the use of body-worn cameras would act as a deterrent.

Officers will be trained in the use of body-worn cameras, which will include training on when to activate cameras for filming. CEOs will also receive specialist guidance on how to communicate that the cameras are live for those blind or hard of hearing.

The option not to undertake an exercise to procure body worn cameras for CEOs would have meant that allegations of abuse both against and by CEOs will continue to rely on verbal recollections from both parties when investigated both internally and in those situations that require interaction by the police. As an initial tranche, it is proposed to procure the cameras alongside associated software and accessories.

The report, signed off by director Nicki Butterworth, added: “The use of body worn cameras will help to ensure the safety of both CEOs and the public, by acting as a visual deterrent against abusive and violent behaviour.”

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