Traffic wardens to get body cameras to catch abuse

Officers will be trained in the use of body-worn cameras

Traffic wardens across Liverpool will be issued with body-worn cameras to tackle violence they face while out on the job, a council has said.

Liverpool City Council said Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) who hand out tickets to motorists often faced verbal and physical abuse.

To combat the issue, the council has agreed to purchase 75 body worn devices, with £150,000 to be spent on the first tranche of devices.

Members of the public could also submit allegations of abuse and threats from CEOs with the footage used as evidence, the authority said.

'Violent behaviour'

According to a council delegated authority report, the cameras would also hopefully act as a deterrent, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Officers would be trained in the use of body-worn cameras and when to activate them.

They would also receive specialist guidance on how to communicate that the cameras were live for people who are visually impaired or hard of hearing, the council said.

The report, signed off by director Nicki Butterworth, said: "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."