Livingstone Shire Council frontline staff to receive Body Worn Cameras
A Central Qld council will roll out body worn cameras to protect its frontline officers from vexatious complaints.
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Livingstone Shire Council is ramping up the use of body worn cameras to protect its frontline officers from vexatious complaints when investigating non-compliance issues.
A report to council this week stated local laws rangers already use AXOM Body Worn Cameras as a valuable tool to capture illegal dumping incidents and any associated interactions between staff and members of the community when necessary.
Council heard the cameras have been invaluable when there has been unfounded complaints made against staff or for a brief of evidence. The Queensland Police Service have also requested the BWC footage from time to time.
The new cameras will now be rolled out to other compliance officers such as those involved in animal, dog and health compliance complaints and inspections.
The cost of supplying the cameras on a three year contract will be $23,000.
Council also agreed on a body worn camera policy to ensure a consistent approach to using the devices.
Cr Pat Eastwood said the cameras were a necessary step in protecting staff.
“It’s really important that everyone knows the rules and regulations and how they supposed to be worn and utilised,” he said.
“Our officers work on their own quite a bit so to me this is an amazing protection.”
He used his own life experience to endorse the benefit of the cameras.
“I spent seven years at a one man police station and had many many erroneous complaints about my behaviour and often with a group of people it’s very difficult for you to give a satisfactory reply,” he said.
“So it’s great for our organisation to have this safeguard for our officers but it’s also a way of gathering evidence.”
An officer told councillors there was “no legal obligation” for the compliance and local laws rangers to advise anyone that they were wearing a camera.
“The cameras are quite large and centre facing so you’re not going to miss it,” he said.
“Say you’re having a conversation that starts to get a bit heated, the (compliance) officer will tap a button on the camera, it will make an audible beeping sound then it will begin flashing and it will capture the conversation 15 seconds prior to tapping of the button to give the ability to capture the whole conversation,” he said.
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