Door staff at pubs and clubs in Wellingborough will now be using body-worn video cameras to help reduce crime and provide a safer environment for everyone who lives, works and socialises in the town centre.
Members of Wellingborough Community Safety Partnership, including Northamptonshire Police and the Borough Council of Wellingborough, have teamed up with Pubwatch and the Wellingborough Business Improvement District in a bid to tackle the crime and anti-social behaviour associated with the night-time economy.
Following a successful trial of the use of a body-worn video camera by door staff, Wellingborough Pubwatch agreed to roll-out the cameras to other Pubwatch members, and has today issued 20 body-worn cameras to door staff working at pubs and clubs across the town.
Members of the Community Safety Partnership contributed to the cost of the cameras, which individual venues were then able to buy at a reduced cost. It is believed that Wellingborough is one of the first towns to encourage pubs and clubs to issue body-worn video cameras to their door staff.
Gill Chapman, Principal Community Support Manager from the Borough Council of Wellingborough, said: “The Community Safety Partnership aims to pull together all local organisations interested in preventing and reducing crime and disorder to collectively tackle issues, and this initiative is a great example of local licensees in particular coming together to tackle an issue of concern to all.”
Sanjai Tailor, Pubwatch spokesperson and owner of three town centre venues, added: “The main reason for using body worn camera is to enhance public safety. Most venues already have CCTV and the body worn cameras will support this and also enable door staff to capture audio of any incident, helping to provide additional evidence if needed. I believe it’s important for our door staff to feel they have the support of the police and we work closely with them through Pubwatch. Ultimately, we are all aiming for the same thing, which is ensuring that everyone has a good, safe night out.”
John Cable, from Wellingborough Business Improvement District (BID), said: "The BID's role is to support local businesses and part of that is to help demonstrate that Wellingborough is a safe place to live, work and visit. This is a very good initiative that the BID, police, Pubwatch, Community Safety Partnership have all helped fund. The remainder of the cost is being met by individual venues, which have been able to buy the cameras at a reduced rate. We are sure the use of these cameras will help the public feel safer when they visit the pubs and clubs in Wellingborough town centre."
Inspector Lara Alexander-Lloyd said: “All police officers are issued with body-worn cameras and they have proved themselves time and again in capturing evidence. They can be a deterrent as well as helping to de-escalate incidents, as people know they are being recorded. The majority of people who come into town drink and behave responsibly and have an enjoyable night out, but we hope the cameras will provide extra reassurance.
“Wellingborough Pubwatch is a great partnership and I am pleased they have chosen to issue cameras that are the same as those used by Northamptonshire Police. Officers will be able to advise door staff on their use, and it also demonstrates how we work closely with door staff to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour across the town.”