Traffic wardens in St Albans will continue wearing body cameras following a successful trial.
St Albans & City District Council (SACDC) agreed to allow the continued use of the cameras after it was discussed at a meeting of the Public Realm Committee on Tuesday, September 10.
Since the trial of the cameras started, there has been a huge decrease in incidents of violence, aggression and verbal attacks.
While the cameras are always recording, they do not save footage unless they have been activated.
In the first eight months, there were 334 occasions when a recording needed to be taken, with 23 of these developing into incidents. This was a 36 per cent decrease compared to the previous eight months.
The cameras have also helped to decrease the number of complaints against traffic wardens by 77 per cent.
Councillor Matt Fisher, who represents Clarence Ward, said: “It sends the right message that the council is serious about not only protecting staff but also about showing zero tolerance.”
The cost of the body-worn cameras is £42,000 over three years and has already been accounted for in SACDC’s budget.
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