Cameras to help keep staff safe

Porirua City’s parking wardens and animal control officers will have an extra level of security in place, with body cameras available as part of their uniforms.

Staff were being trained and equipped with the cameras this week, said James Jefferson, the Council’s General Manager Policy Planning and Regulatory Services.

“This feels particularly timely following the horrendous attack on a Wellington City Council parking warden last week,” Mr Jefferson said.

“Like that officer, our staff are decent, hardworking men and women who are just trying to serve this community, making it a better place to live and work in, and they deserve to feel safe while they’re doing that”

The cameras are available for the Council’s three monitoring and compliance officers, who carry out a range of duties including parking, and three animal control officers.

They are designed to minimise the risk of harm to staff and the public, by encouraging positive behaviour and interactions, Mr Jefferson said.

“Unfortunately there are times when council officers can be faced with verbal abuse, threats and physical assaults, so we want to do everything we can to keep our people safe.

“The cameras can provide an accurate record of events if there’s an incident that needs to be investigated, as well as giving us information about the nature and severity of interactions with the public.”

Council will make sure the cameras don’t unreasonably intrude on people’s privacy, Mr Jefferson said.

“The cameras only record footage when manually turned on by officers and the public must be told they’re being switched on. Footage will only be held for the reasons described above, in line with the NZ Privacy Act 1993.”

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