Body Worn Cameras: 5 Benefits Your Business Should Know About
Blog: Body Worn Cameras: 5 Benefits Your Business Should Know About Published: 31/08/2022
Body Worn Cameras: 5 Benefits Your Business Should Know About
Body worn cameras have been in use in the UK, within both the police and private sector, for over 15 years. Initially, they were mostly used by police officers on the beat, although later on and after their benefits became clear, their use became more widespread among private security firms, and frontline staff working in shops, nightclubs, schools, and hospitals.
Today, we will look at what those 15+ years have taught us – using examples largely drawn from police applications but with important implications for private use – about the benefits of body worn cameras in commercial, non-law enforcement settings.
1) Fewer complaints against security staff
An evaluation of the impact of body worn cameras by police officers revealed a reduction in the number of complaints filed against officers, a reduction that in some cases reached an astonishing 93%. Since these devices record incidents and interactions in real time, there’s little room for making false misconduct allegations.
In business settings, equally important reductions in complaints are possible. False complaints against security staff and other employees can be very costly and time consuming to handle, as well as distressing for the person concerned, so the use of body worn cameras can save you unnecessary hassles and protect your staff from reputational damage.
2) Stronger evidence
Body worn camera footage recorded by police officers has been successfully used in several court proceedings to establish the facts about ambiguous legal cases. This is one of the greatest benefits of using these devices in business settings. Camera evidence is considered an impartial witness in cases where they may be a dispute, which can shorten criminal or civil court proceedings should you ever be involved in them, and reduce legal expenses.
In some cases, footage may help avoid these proceedings altogether. For example, Scotland Police reported a 39% increase in guilty pleas where officers had documentary evidence recorded by body worn cameras.
If your business is involved in a dispute and you’re not at fault, stating that you have footage could discourage the other party from pursuing a case.
3) Help during investigations
Police forces are required to store body camera footage for up to 31 days in case it is required during a criminal investigation. The best body worn cameras can record large amounts of audio and video data and are useful in establishing a full audit trail, which clearly facilitates and speeds up investigations.
Outside of security, this data can also benefit business owners in situations like internal audits or investigations, since having access to indisputable evidence can reduce the amount of time spent doing paperwork or establishing the facts.
4) Helps improve security policies and procedures
Private security agencies regularly use camera footage to assess the effectiveness of their operations, and to identify training needs among their personnel. Reviewing this footage can expose areas where performance standards, tactics, communications, and interactions with the public can be improved.
In a similar way, business owners can use body cam footage from front line and customer service employees for staff training purposes, and to continuously improve the services they provide.
5) Increased accountability
In the UK and abroad, police officers who use body worn cameras have been found to be less likely to use excessive force. This is probably due to the fact that people tend to be more self-aware when they know their behaviour is being recorded.
If the use of body worn cameras has improved accountability and professionalism in police forces, we can expect the same in commercial security environments working in the retail and hospitality sectors. In our 30+ years of experience helping businesses improve their security and communications systems, we have seen how body-worn cameras have benefited companies in industries as diverse as logistics, facilities management, hospitality, retail, and warehousing.
