Body cameras for frontline towpath staff

THE Canal & River Trust is to start using body-worn cameras for its customer service employees whose role includes day-to-day interaction with those on the towpath.

They will initially be used daily by the boat licence customer support team in the trust’s London & South East region in response to increased concerns about the potential for confrontation, abuse or harm while conducting their work.

Body-worn cameras have been used in specific instances by the trust’s boat licence customer support teams across the network since 2019. The development will now see cameras issued as standard for day-to-day duties, including interacting with towpath visitors, assisting boaters and when issuing notices or other written communications.

Cameras have become increasingly familiar in other areas of society, for example on trains, hospitals and retail settings. Many frontline emergency services deploy them across their workforce in response to an increase in threatening and abusive behaviour.

Many trust colleagues frequently work alone on the towpath so, alongside other procedures, the body-worn cameras will be a tool to support them while they go about their daily jobs. The use of bodyworn cameras will provide legally admissible evidence if the trust needs to act against those who abuse or threaten colleagues or customers.

While instances of poor behaviour are rare, like other areas of society it is on the increase and CRT will not tolerate assaults on employees, volunteers or contractors and other customers. Offenders will be dealt with robustly and the trust will seek to bring criminal proceedings against those responsible where necessary. The use of body-worn cameras was due to get under way in late September with a potential roll-out elsewhere on the network in due course.