Montferland’s enforcement officers to wear bodycams

Will you soon see an enforcement officer wearing a bodycam on the street? That could well be the case. All our enforcement officers—these are special investigation officers—will be equipped with bodycams. We are doing this for safety reasons. Not only for the safety of our officers, but also for the safety of our residents. A bodycam has a preventive effect and helps reduce tension in unsettling situations.

The enforcement officers in Montferland play an important role in the livability and safety of our municipality. It sometimes happens that they encounter unsafe situations during their work, a trend that is also visible nationwide. A bodycam can help prevent such a situation from escalating. It also ensures an objective recording of incidents. Mayor Anne-Marie Fellinger: “We consider it very important that our employees can do their work safely. Our enforcement officers play a major role in keeping our municipality safe. Bodycams will help with this. For the protection of themselves and that of our residents.” Enforcement officers will wear the bodycams visibly during their shifts. The bodycam is set to standby mode by default and only activates when necessary, such as when facing threatening aggression or when a situation becomes unsafe for bystanders. A policy has been established for the use of the bodycams and the storage of the footage. Recordings are generally made in public spaces (streets, squares, parks, stations) and in buildings accessible to the public. During checks in a building, an enforcement officer may decide to activate the bodycam to record dangerous situations and protect people’s safety. Enforcement officers themselves decide whether recording is necessary, and footage can be used afterwards for evaluation and professional development. Together towards a safer Montferland!