Traffic wardens have been pelted with eggs, driven at, verbally abused and left needing stitches while on duty in Cardiff.
Cardiff council has released examples of abuse towards traffic wardens as the cabinet approve purchasing body cameras for their staff
WalesOnline has obtained examples of the abuse aimed at the city's parking enforcement officers after the city council revealed a bid to buy body cameras for staff.
The 50 cameras are expected to cost around £500 each.
Some examples of abuse:
- City centre shopkeeper pushed traffic warden into oncoming traffic. Driver drove at warden twice before police arrived and arrested shopkeeper
- Officer on patrol on Broadway was verbally abused and received death threats
- Warden attacked with his own handheld machine on Cowbridge Road East and had to have stitches at hospital
- Resident in Adamsdown threw eggs at officer
- Female officer was pelted with eggs while on patrol in Cardiff Bay
- Driver in Mount Stuart Square drove at officer who had to place her hands on the bonnet of the vehicle trying to stop him. She moved out of the way fearing the driver would not stop and caught her on her legs. She escaped serious injury
- Officer on patrol on West Bute St was verbally abused and later made police statement.
- Warden on patrol in Church Place was threatened with being punched and was verbally aggressive and abusive.
- Driver cautioned after being aggressive to officer in Leckwith
- Warden has to call police while in Sudcroft Street and being lunged at and having a ticket slapped into her chest
- Officer threatened by a very abusive male who “threatened to smash the officers face in”
- Man told warden if he “saw him again he would smash his face”. Driver then drove into the officers legs, reversed and drove into him again.
- Officer on patrol in the Heath area had eggs thrown at him
- Warden in James Street area was verbally abused and threatened that he would be punched in the face. Officer was pushed and police called
Body cameras
At a meeting of the city council’s cabinet, approval was given for a pilot scheme being rolled out.
It is hoped that under the pilot, the Civil Enforcement Officers wearing CCTV body cameras will be able to “ensure the safety” of members of the public and their staff.
Cabinet members were told the operation of the cameras will be on a “use when necessary” principle and will be activated only when there is a “perceived act of aggression” towards an officer.
Cabinet member Graham Hinchey said that the cameras were a way of protecting council staff and that they expected the number of claims by drivers of incidents would decrease as a result of the deployment of cameras.
'Length of pilot to be decided'
When questioned by Liberal Democrat leader Judith Woodman about the length the images would be kept by the council, Councillor Hinchey said details would be forwarded to members at a later date. He added that the length of pilot is yet to be determined but its roll out will be monitored.
Labour colleague with responsibility for transport, Ramesh Patel, added: “The safety of our staff is at the top of our agenda. Some people do get angry when they get a fine and officers are working under a lot of pressure but the difference is that if they can see there is a video there, they will think before they behave in such a way.”
see-http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/pelted-eggs-driven-assaulted-just-10774129
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