The Benefits Of Bodycams Heightened By Wembley Scenes

After the shocking scenes at Wembley Stadium last month for the final of the European Championships, where stewards, security and police were overwhelmed by ticketless supporters desperate to force their entry to England's first major final in 55 years, the usefulness of bodycams in capturing evidence, providing an additional level of safety, and as a potential further deterrent for trouble was cast into the limelight.

Front line staff are increasingly being issued with body worn video cameras (bodycams) to capture a secure point-of-view record of what happened during an incident. The video and audio recording can then be used as evidence if the material is correctly handled and stored.

Bodycams can help to deter verbal abuse and aggression, as people often calm down if they know they are being filmed. As such they provide an additional means of protection for front line staff and lone workers. The recorded evidence can also be used to refute false allegations made against staff in many walks of life.

Fire, ambulance and police officers are now deploying bodycams. They are also being given to prison service staff, private security officers, healthcare workers, railway workers, traffic wardens, parking attendants and other lone workers, who sometimes face abuse and the threat of violence in their jobs.

Bodycam footage can also be used for wider purposes such as training. Footage can be used to demonstrate best practice, provide feedback on an incident, to observe the interaction between staff members, and between them and the public, and to show new recruits the kinds of incidents that can take place.

Policy And Correct Usage

Before issuing staff with bodycams it is important to ensure use policies are put in place. In many countries the use of bodycams will come under CCTV surveillance and data protection legislation.

For instance, in the UK if staff are using bodycams in a public place they should adhere to The Protection of Freedom Act (POFA) 2012 and the Code of Practice for Surveillance Camera Systems, which has 12 main guidelines.

The UK’s Security Industry Authority (SIA) warns that anyone using a bodycam to monitor the activities of a member of the public in a public or private place, or to identify an individual, may require a Public Space Surveillance (CCTV) licence depending on the operating circumstance.

They must also abide by the Data Protection Act, including observing the correct protocols for the handling and storage of video footage and audio recordings. In short, employers must ensure their staff act responsibly, and be seen to be doing so, when it comes to protecting people’s privacy.

Responsible advocates of bodycams argue that it is best to be very open about their use, so people are aware they are being filmed or that they could be. Once they know this, it usually has the effect of deterring anti-social behaviour.

Selecting A Bodycam

When selecting a body worn video camera, key features to evaluate are: •Battery life •Memory options •Quality of recording resolution, frames per second and field of view •Push-to-Talk over Cellular (PoC) communication •Dispatcher and mapping services •Secured evidence (password protected and encrypted) •Live streaming capability •Ruggedness of the device, environmental certification and drop testing •Low light and night vision •Pre-recording options •Tagging devices, content and uploading recorded media •Accessories including multi-bay charging docks, clips and mounts.

General Information

Hytera devices offer a lot more functionality than just video recording. The VM580D and VM780 models are both a body worn camera and a PoC radio in one device, so they are capable of supporting voice, video and data.

General features common to most Hytera bodycams include, a Push-to-Talk (PTT) button, emergency button, secure encrypted transmission, night vision capability, 1080p HD video recording, loudspeaker for clear audio, IDS automatic data extraction and a visual display screen.

The devices are tough and durable, as they are IP68 certified against dust and moisture ingress. They offer a swappable battery option to extend shifts well beyond normal time requirements. Hytera also offers 6-bay chargers for secure and reliable data transfer, and a variety of mounting options (Peter Jones compatibility).

Hytera bodycams and PoC can help you capture the truth and communicate more effectively from one device. They can help your organisation overcome operational challenges and improve efficiency thanks to instant and reliable individual and group communications. Collaboration can be enhanced by keeping everyone informed in real time with what they need to know in a timely way using messaging, audio and video communications.

Built-in GPS technology delivers much improved presence and location awareness, so valuable time is not lost when responding to a team member or someone who is in danger or who needs immediate attention. Real-time tracking means supervisors know where team members are located and can organise the right resources more effectively. Bodycams with PoC ensure employees are better protected and can be alerted quickly to any problem, thereby enabling a faster, better directed response to keep them safer at all times.

For more information visit: www.hytera-europe.com/uk/bodycam