Body cameras to protect City rangers


City of Sydney rangers will wear video cameras on their work vests as part of a trial aimed at recording evidence and discouraging aggressive behaviour toward them.

A team of volunteers will trial cameras in the next few months ahead of a possible roll-out to the City’s 160 rangers.

It follows a successful trial by the NSW Police Force, after it found cameras led to improved behaviour among potential offenders and provided an accurate recording of events.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said rangers occasionally faced verbal and physical abuse in the course of their work, with 200 verbal and 67 physical assaults occurring in the past five years.

“Our rangers are mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters so we will not compromise on their safety,” the Lord Mayor said. “We believe the use of cameras will take some of the danger and stress out of their job.

“Recordings of events help with prosecutions, and we hope the introduction of cameras will give people pause before they mistreat City staff doing important work.”

For the three-month test run, the cameras will record in 30-second loops. Owing to strict laws about voice recordings, no conversations will be taped.

Rangers will be able to activate a continuous recording function when an aggressive confrontation looms.

They will advise the person or people in question that they are being filmed, and the footage will be retained for potential legal use.

City ranger Mahmud Swalah-McDahrou, who was violently attacked in 2009, welcomed the decision to equip rangers with cameras.

“The cameras will hopefully stop people from losing their temper and getting aggressive,” Mr Swalah-McDahrou said.

“If they prevent physical and verbal violence towards my colleagues, they are a good thing.”

A United Services Union survey of 254 rangers and parking officers found most felt the incidence of abuse and assault was on the increase and becoming more violent in nature.

“The USU is of the view that the current level of violence and aggression experienced by council rangers and parking patrol officers is too high,” USU said in the 2009 report.

“Consequently many of the officers suffer as a result of multiple forms of violence and aggression, including abuse, assault, intimidation and threats of violence.”

The NSW Government announced in May it would roll out body cameras for police officers to wear on vests whenever they are on the job.

The cameras were trialed by the Public Order and Riot Squad, South West Metro Regional Enforcement Squad, Brisbane Water Local Area Command and the Northern Sector of the Police Transport Command.

Trials showed the cameras also had a positive impact on police behaviour.

For more information visit City of Sydney