Safer communities: Body-worn cameras now standard for public housing safety officers
Body-worn cameras will be rolled out from today as standard equipment for Public Housing Safety Officers (PHSOs).
This follows a successful trial in Alice Springs and Darwin earlier this year, and training for all PHSOs this week.
PHSOs are employed to work with public housing tenants, neighbours and visitors to investigate, respond to and reduce anti-social behaviour.
The body-worn cameras, similar to the devices introduced to the NT Police Force two years ago, will allow interactions between PSHOs, public housing tenants and members of the public to be recorded.
Recordings from the devices will be used to provide accurate records in the event of disputes, improving accountability and transparency.
Strict conditions of use include advising members of the public they are being filmed. Cameras will be used by PHSOs when on patrol and responding to call-outs.
As noted by Minister for Housing and Development Gerry McCarthy:
Every Territorian has the right to feel safe and expect their homes, businesses and property to be secure.
This technology provides an extra layer of security for our Public Housing Safety Officers who are sometimes at the frontline of difficult and confronting situations.
Evidence and experience with body-worn cameras have shown that people moderate their behaviour when being filmed and therefore the likelihood of escalated confrontations is reduced.
Mary Pritchard is in her 70s and has lived in public housing at Albrecht Drive, Alice Springs, for about six years.
As noted by public housing tenant Mary Pritchard:
The safety officers have made us feel safe and I want them to be safe too.
Every night they come and check the area and make sure there are no strangers around so they have made a big difference in helping us to feel safe and sleep well.
The cameras will capture any arguments or bad behaviour and that would make the safety officers feel more secure about being on patrol.
We have to look after the ones who look after us, its as simple as that.
