Live streaming body-worn cameras increase CVIT driver safety for Post Office Ltd

Drivers were being targeted by criminals due to the high value of the assets they were carrying. This put members of staff at risk, with the CVIT crew members facing, in some cases, violence and abuse during perpetrator attempts to steal money.

These attack episodes also resulted in financial loss to the business, with little evidence produced that could help to secure a prosecution and deter further attacks. Therefore, a solution was needed to eliminate these issues, while also being user friendly in nature and easily deployed in a manner that complied with privacy and data protection laws.

Digital Barriers’ body-worn cameras have now been rolled-out to over 130 CVIT drivers nationwide following a successful pilot where the solution was initially deployed across four different regional locations to ensure all practicalities were addressed before adoption.

Designed to transmit live video footage to the Kings Secure Technologies Monitoring Centre, the solution means that CVIT crew drivers facing threats or feeling at risk are now able to alert an operator at the touch of a button.

Unlike other body-worn devices that need to be docked back at the monitoring centre before any footage can be downloaded and reviewed, Digital Barriers’ technology allows CCTV operators to monitor video and audio live and in real-time, even in those areas with poor network connectivity.

Enhanced level of support

The reliability of the streaming technology, combined with live GPS data capabilities, enables operators at the Kings Secure Technologies Monitoring Centre to offer an enhanced level of support to those wearers on the front line. The added advantage of real-time situational awareness means that any challenges can be immediately addressed, therefore supporting the welfare and well-being of CVIT staff at all times.

Andrew Scott, physical security manager for CVIT at the Post Office Ltd, explained: “The safety and confidence of our CVIT drivers has greatly increased since the implementation of Digital Barriers’ body-worn cameras. As well as acting as a panic button and sharing drivers’ GPS locations with the Kings Secure Technologies Monitoring Centre operators, these tools enable live video to be streamed directly from the camera.”

The adoption of the body-worn cameras combined with the Kings Secure Technologies Monitoring Centre means that the Post Office’s evidence gathering process is instant. Full-HD footage is accessible on a remote basis. As such, the body-worn cameras have already led to a number of successful prosecutions, while also actively reducing the number of attacks on drivers across the business.

Following a robbery in the North West, footage from a body-worn camera captured the perpetrator and vehicle registration plate involved, leading police to make several arrests. “Our driver was able to not just capture, but also instantly share footage of the perpetrator and their number plate”, concluded Andrew Scott. “This ensured the police could swiftly secure several arrests and a successful conviction.”