Traffic wardens fitted with body cameras to stop attacks (From Daily Echo)
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Traffic wardens fitted with body cameras to stop attacks
10:34am Thursday 21st February 2013 in News
Traffic wardens with the CCTV badge
TRAFFIC wardens are being equipped with CCTV-style body cameras in a bid to stop them being attacked by angry motorists.
Following a rise in verbal and physical attacks, councils across Hampshire are issuing the recording devices to wardens.
The camera can be fitted in a credit card-sized identity badge or into the lapel of a uniform.
When the camera is in use, a sticker on the badge or uniform saying either ‘CCTV in operation’ or ‘recording in progress’ is displayed.
Winchester City Council, the latest authority to sign up to the technology, said cameras are needed to protect wardens from assault.
But civil liberty campaigners warned the move was a worrying expansion of the Big Brother surveillance state and could be open to abuse.
The council is paying £500 for video badges for each of its 13 traffic wardens. Eastleigh Borough Coun-cil has already equipped its 11 traffic wardens with video badges.
Council chiefs say wardens, or civil enforcement officers as they are officially called, will only switch on the badges if they believe confrontation with a motorist is likely. The video and audio tape can then be used as evidence in court or if there is a complaint.
Nick Pickles, director of campaign group Big Brother Watch, said: “This kind of policy treats every member of the public as a suspect, and a small badge is hardly properly notifying someone they are being recorded.
“The Information Commissioner is very clear that recording should only be used in extreme circumstances, so it is absolutely essential that if conversations are being recorded this scheme is vigorously overseen and the law enforced to protect the public from over-zealous use.”
A Winchester City Council spokesman denied there was any subterfuge.
He said: “It isn’t covert. It is for the officer’s personal safety if a difficult situation arises. If the camera is switched on it clearly shows that a recording is in progress.”
A council report said there had been “a number of aggressive incidents” involving wardens in the past 12 months.
Last month the Daily Echo reported how wardens were threatened by motorists who had been handed parking tickets in Bishop’s Waltham. The abuse became so bad the local beat bobby accompanied them on patrol.
Business development manager Andy Burke, of Edesix, which makes the video badges, said the purpose of the camera was to clearly display it, to stop an assault occurring.
He said a number of police forces and local authorities were buying the technology.
Comments(18)
jade25
says...
10:47am Thu 21 Feb 13
Lone Ranger.
says...
10:51am Thu 21 Feb 13
jade25 wrote:I dont think that anyone should have to be subjected to attacks by some morons who drive and invariably commit an offence such as illegal parking.
Perhaps they should get new jobs if they dont like being 'attacked'...
.
sotonboy84
says...
11:16am Thu 21 Feb 13
If I stick a camera in my car and record this happening, will this be my evidence to not pay a parking fine?
OSPREYSAINT
says...
11:49am Thu 21 Feb 13
bernard7
says...
12:43pm Thu 21 Feb 13
millhouse
says...
12:53pm Thu 21 Feb 13
jade25 wrote:Are you seriously suggesting that being attacked should be considered part and parcel of being a traffic warden?
Perhaps they should get new jobs if they dont like being 'attacked'...
miltonarcher
says...
1:54pm Thu 21 Feb 13
jade25 wrote:Perhaps you should consider not posting until you have something sensible to say.
Perhaps they should get new jobs if they dont like being 'attacked'...
jonnyx
says...
1:56pm Thu 21 Feb 13
jade25 wrote:what a moronic statement. what job do you do jade25? perhaps we could all turn up at your place of work and start abusing you. and if you didn't like it we could all say perhaps you should get a new job. how would that be, eh?
Perhaps they should get new jobs if they dont like being 'attacked'...
Niel
says...
2:23pm Thu 21 Feb 13
Fareham's wardens have been using/wearing them for several years, if you point a camera at THEM however they really don't like it!
cliffwalker
says...
7:02pm Thu 21 Feb 13
J.P.M
says...
8:47pm Thu 21 Feb 13
jonnyx wrote:What a disgraceful misogenist statement. You should be ashamed of your gender.
jade25 wrote: Perhaps they should get new jobs if they dont like being 'attacked'...what a moronic statement. what job do you do jade25? perhaps we could all turn up at your place of work and start abusing you. and if you didn't like it we could all say perhaps you should get a new job. how would that be, eh?
jonnyx
says...
10:37pm Thu 21 Feb 13
J.P.M wrote:why's it misogynistic j.p.m? and how do you know what my gender is? or are you just trolling for a laugh?
jonnyx wrote:What a disgraceful misogenist statement. You should be ashamed of your gender.
jade25 wrote: Perhaps they should get new jobs if they dont like being 'attacked'...what a moronic statement. what job do you do jade25? perhaps we could all turn up at your place of work and start abusing you. and if you didn't like it we could all say perhaps you should get a new job. how would that be, eh?
Ginger_cyclist
says...
12:10am Fri 22 Feb 13
J.P.M
says...
3:59pm Fri 22 Feb 13
jonnyx wrote:YAAWWWNNNN!
J.P.M wrote:why's it misogynistic j.p.m? and how do you know what my gender is? or are you just trolling for a laugh?
jonnyx wrote:What a disgraceful misogenist statement. You should be ashamed of your gender.
jade25 wrote: Perhaps they should get new jobs if they dont like being 'attacked'...what a moronic statement. what job do you do jade25? perhaps we could all turn up at your place of work and start abusing you. and if you didn't like it we could all say perhaps you should get a new job. how would that be, eh?
I am not biting
MiddleOfRoad
says...
10:12pm Fri 22 Feb 13
One of the significant failures of our current and increasingly dysfunctional society is the absence of consequences or the absence of any fear of consequences. Perhaps this small step will start the message that public officials, albeit on occasions frustrating and seemingly red-tape bound, are for the benefit of society rather than to be abused by that growing group of society's angry mob.
If I had the authority I would also legislate to empower Traffic Wardens and the like to arrest violent or serious abusive people. Its is easy enough to do - simply amend the existing legislation or simply swear every Traffic Warden in as Special Constables.Perhaps then Traffic Wardens would feel more confident in completing their duties and the inadequate or violent people would modify their behaviours.
Unfortunately the current mobs with the relevant authorities to enable this to occur are too weak and or too politically correct for this occur. Perhaps one day sanity and common sense will return to our western societies.
Ginger_cyclist
says...
3:39am Sat 23 Feb 13
MiddleOfRoad wrote:Any person who witnesses a crime in progress or a crime that has just seen one being committed can make an arrest, known as a citizens arrest which involves the person committing the crime, being held by any normal person until police arrive, even if the crime is an assault or even shoplifting.
Excellent idea. Violence, apprehended violence or very serious intimidating verbal abuse (not just a dummy spit) to any public official should be rewarded with an appropriate sanction.
One of the significant failures of our current and increasingly dysfunctional society is the absence of consequences or the absence of any fear of consequences. Perhaps this small step will start the message that public officials, albeit on occasions frustrating and seemingly red-tape bound, are for the benefit of society rather than to be abused by that growing group of society's angry mob.
If I had the authority I would also legislate to empower Traffic Wardens and the like to arrest violent or serious abusive people. Its is easy enough to do - simply amend the existing legislation or simply swear every Traffic Warden in as Special Constables.Perhaps then Traffic Wardens would feel more confident in completing their duties and the inadequate or violent people would modify their behaviours.
Unfortunately the current mobs with the relevant authorities to enable this to occur are too weak and or too politically correct for this occur. Perhaps one day sanity and common sense will return to our western societies.
Niel
says...
2:45pm Sat 23 Feb 13
MiddleOfRoad wrote:It'll never fly, too many of the companies involved in the contracted out traffic wardening business, with set targets to achieve for their wardens, so the share holders get their bonus, wouldn't want their staff to be specials and distracted from money earning for the company...
Excellent idea. Violence, apprehended violence or very serious intimidating verbal abuse (not just a dummy spit) to any public official should be rewarded with an appropriate sanction.
One of the significant failures of our current and increasingly dysfunctional society is the absence of consequences or the absence of any fear of consequences. Perhaps this small step will start the message that public officials, albeit on occasions frustrating and seemingly red-tape bound, are for the benefit of society rather than to be abused by that growing group of society's angry mob.
If I had the authority I would also legislate to empower Traffic Wardens and the like to arrest violent or serious abusive people. Its is easy enough to do - simply amend the existing legislation or simply swear every Traffic Warden in as Special Constables.Perhaps then Traffic Wardens would feel more confident in completing their duties and the inadequate or violent people would modify their behaviours.
Unfortunately the current mobs with the relevant authorities to enable this to occur are too weak and or too politically correct for this occur. Perhaps one day sanity and common sense will return to our western societies.
SotonLad says...
10:46am Thu 21 Feb 13
It's only those up to no good that don't like CCTV cameras.
I'd rather the wardens had them to gather evidence against abusive and violent drivers.