Asda has become the first supermarket chain in the UK to take the step of issuing their security guards with CCTV equipment to protect them from abuse. But why have they taken this step, and is it an invasion of privacy to the public? Perhaps the below statistics will help to explain:

• 265 retail staff are violently attacked every day, with many more threatened and verbally abused.
• 56% of shop workers who have experienced violence at work did not report it.

Violence can include name-calling, offensive comments, threatening behaviour, aggression and physical violence. Unfortunately, this type of behaviour is much more common than you might think, and so it's hugely important that employers take note and implement precautions to keep their staff safe when on they're on shift.

As you might already know, our security guards are all fitted with a body camera that can record both audible and CCTV footage. For us, there is nothing more important than ensuring the safety of our valued employees, and this gives us the peace of mind that if they were to be exposed to abuse during their shift, we would have documented evidence to support them.

CCTV body cameras are hugely valuable for two main reasons.

Security cameras act as an excellent deterrent

Many of you will be familiar with 'dash-cams'. These are dashboard cameras that can be fitted on a vehicle to record journeys. In our opinion, they are great! Not only can dash-cams prove that a crash wasn't your fault (as you have first-hand evidence), but they can prevent fraud too.

Just in the same way, cameras on security guards can act as an excellent deterrent, encouraging individuals to walk away, instead of causing a scene that they know will be caught on camera. This can make the difference between a quiet shift and potentially needing to call the police to restrain an individual. We know which one we'd prefer!

Security cameras can provide excellent evidence

Should the worst case scenario happen and a security guard is needed to step in and intervene or is at the receiving end of abuse, then a security camera offers evidence that can't be disputed. This protects your employees, and any other potential victims, from being accused of lying by the perpetrator.

We therefore commend Asda on introducing CCTV body cameras to their security guards, as it shows they're taking a proactive approach to security. We were also pleased to read that the change has been welcomed, and has not been criticised as an invasion of privacy to the public. We hope that other UK supermarkets will follow their lead in providing their staff with a security presence that involves body cameras in the hope to reduce the shocking statistics mentioned at the start of this blog.

For more information on how CCTV body cameras can heighten your security presence, please don't hesitate to contact a member of our team. We look forward to hearing from you.

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