Council traffic wardens to wear body-worn cameras

Wakefield Council has given the cameras to staff in several departments

Traffic wardens and environmental health officers are among council workers in West Yorkshire who are to start wearing body-worn cameras.

Wakefield Council said it was giving the cameras to staff working across several services to deter abusive behaviour from the public.

The footage will also be used as evidence to investigate complaints and support prosecutions, the local authority said.

People working in parking, enforcement services and environmental health will wear the cameras, including officers who deal with noise complaints, licensing enforcement and building security.

The council said members of the public would be aware of recording, with cameras only switched on when necessary.

Councillor Jack Hemingway, the council's deputy leader, said: "All of our staff deserve to feel safe when doing their job, but it's a sad fact that incidents of abusive behaviour do sometimes occur.

"We take this issue very seriously and the main aim of the body-worn cameras is that it will deter assault or abuse of our staff. "

People would be given a clear verbal warning about a camera being turning on when practical, Wakefield Council said.

Councillor Matthew Morley, cabinet member for planning and highways, said: "Although we do operate a CCTV system across the district, it cannot see all areas and does not cover the inside of premises where our enforcement teams work.

"We hope this will make our staff feel even more protected and able to carry out their jobs safely and effectively."

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