Body-worn cameras, which have quickly become an everyday sight in forecourts as retailers attempt to stem losses and prevent attacks on staff, are viewed positively by members of the public, a survey has found.
Halos, which makes subscription-based body cams featuring police-grade tech, commissioned YouGov to conduct a poll of 2,268 adults, which found that 55% of consumers report the cameras make them feel safer, with 44% saying their presence would make them think twice about their own behaviour.
Some 60% say they consider body-worn cameras deter antisocial behaviour, while 68% believe they reduce theft and other crimes.
Matthew Dawes, Halos’ head of enterprise solutions, says that while in the past “the presence of a body-worn camera might have felt unusual or even confrontational”, today people feel they offer “a quiet reassurance to both the wearer and the everyday person”.
He adds that members of the public consider them “a sign that staff and consumers are protected, and that there’s a line between order and chaos that doesn’t need to be loudly enforced”.
