Council officers to wear body cameras

The council meeting heard body cameras were a useful de-escalation and safety tool

Body cameras are to be worn by officers at Chichester District Council when carrying out duties, a meeting has heard.

Previously, only parking enforcement officers and Chichester Contract Services staff had worn cameras for certain high risk activities.

The use will be extended to the health protection, environmental protection and planning enforcement teams, as well as those working at the Westward House or Freeland Close temporary accommodation sites.

The meeting heard the cameras were a useful de-escalation and safety tool.

At a full council meeting on Tuesday, members were told data from cameras was usually held for three months, but it could be longer if needed as evidence in a criminal investigation.

When asked how long data from new cameras would be kept, monitoring officer Nick Bennett said: “It would be a sufficient time that we could use it but not so long that people would worry their information was being held in perpetuity.”

Mr Bennett added cameras had helped calm situations when people were told they were being filmed.