As the City of Perth works towards a safer City, several on-the-ground staff have now been equipped with body-worn cameras to enhance their ability to serve the community.
The City of Perth acquired 63 body-worn cameras for use by City of Perth Rangers, Parking Information Officers and Environmental Health Officers in a public-facing role.
Over the past 18 months, the City has trialled numerous body-worn cameras, which provide a useful security and compliance tool to promote increased community safety and amenity.
The City of Perth’s priority is the safety and wellbeing of staff and the community, and the use of this technology will bring the organisation closer to its vision for Perth as a safe, liveable and dynamic City.
An academic study undertaken by the University of Cambridge’s Institution of Criminology in 2014 explored the effects of body-worn cameras on use of force and citizen’s complaints against police. It found that the number of complaints filed against officers dropped from 0.7 complaints per 1000 contacts to 0.07 per 1000 contacts.
Complementing the new uniforms for Rangers, Parking Information Officers and Environmental Health Officers, the cameras provide benefits such as:
- Extending the City’s surveillance capability to capture critical incidents;
- Promoting safety of City staff and deterring inappropriate or aggressive behaviour;
- Strengthening compliance processes and individual self-awareness; and
- Providing valuable evidence for application of Local Laws or for WA Police matters.
This technology allows City staff to report incidents more accurately and efficiently due to the video capture, essentially allowing City resources to be deployed more effectively and providing better value for money for ratepayers.
Implemented in September, the initiative comes after the launch of the Safe City Campaign, which highlights the valuable work of City of Perth staff and the roles they play in working towards a safer city.