Christchurch CEOs get body cameras

Civil Enforcement Officers (CEOs) in Christchurch now have a new way of protecting themselves from potentially threatening and violent behaviour.

The CEOs have been issued with body cameras which can be used to record any abuse which they could receive from people angry at being given a penalty notice.

The added protection has been provided following an increase in incidents of violent behaviour in recent months. CEOs wear badges saying they are video-enabled and, if confronted by a potentially difficult situation, they will advise the offender that they are being recorded.

Cllr Ray Nottage, Leader of Christchurch Council, said: “Christchurch is a very safe place and, thankfully, incidences of violent behaviour towards our CEOs are very rare. However, we have a duty to protect our workforce and, with an increase in threatening behaviour recently, we took the decision to provide our CEOs with this added protection.

“We have had a situation where a CEO was grabbed and another where someone who had been issued with a penalty notice for illegally parking actually tried to ram a CEO with her car. This is completely unacceptable.

“Any footage of a person verbally or physically threatening a CEO will be passed to the police for further action. It has been noticeable that, since the CEOs started wearing the body cameras, they have had a calming influence on those who would otherwise have threatened an officer.”