Monitor Aggression - Equipping Police and DB Security Personnel with Body Cameras - Enhancing Peacekeeping Measures: Equipping Police and DB Security with Body Cameras
In an effort to address the increasing incidents of disrespectful behavior and attacks on train staff and passengers, German railway company DB Regio has equipped its personnel with body cameras on a voluntary basis since 2024. This initiative, which includes customer service staff (conductors), follows similar moves by the Hamburg Hochbahn Watch and DB Security.
The use of body cameras is designed to enhance security and promote accountability. A red light on the camera indicates when it is recording, and its use must be announced to ensure transparency. The cameras serve primarily for documentation and evidence collection, providing a valuable tool for reviewing incidents, supporting investigations, and prosecutions.
Body cameras have been shown to have a de-escalating effect in critical situations, potentially deterring potential violent offenders. A survey of train passengers on the Westfrankenbahn and Kurhessenbahn revealed that more than half of the respondents felt that the use of body cameras increased their sense of security.
However, the use of body cameras is not without its challenges. One concern is the limited field of view and coverage gaps during confrontations, especially close encounters or chaotic scenes. Supplementary footage, such as from security cameras or civilian devices, may be needed to fill these gaps.
Privacy is another significant concern. Policies must carefully regulate when and where cameras are activated to protect individual privacy, especially in private or sensitive locations. Cost and resource demands are also factors, as body cameras require ongoing financial investment for devices, data storage, management, and staff training.
In Hamburg, DB Security employees were first equipped with body cameras in the summer of 2018, followed by the extension of their use to city center S-Bahn stations, the main station, Dammtor, and Altona stations. The use of body cameras has since been expanded across Germany.
The city's police force has also been using body cameras for several years, with the ability to use pre-recording, which allows the camera to record events before the actual use but does not store them until the officer manually turns on the recording. However, the Hamburg Data Protection Officer views the possibility of pre-recording critically, as it allows for the recording of conversations at a greater distance with these cameras.
In an effort to further enhance security, a weapons ban has been in effect on Hamburg's buses and trains since late 2024. Despite these measures, incidents of violence continue to rise. The Deutsche Bahn recorded 3,324 attempted and completed physical assaults on its employees last year, an increase of almost 6% compared to 2023. In the past six months, the Federal Police recorded 296 acts of violence at Hamburg Central Station, six more than in the same period last year.
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[4] Katz, J. E. (2016). The Effects of Body-Worn Cameras on Police Officers' Use of Force and Citizens' Perceptions of Police Legitimacy. Crime & Delinquency, 62(10), 1421-1442.
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- The implementation of body cameras in the German railway company DB Regio's personnel is part of a broader trend in employing technology for enhancing general-news and crime-and-justice related policies within community policies.
- The employments policies of various transportation companies, such as DB Regio, Hamburg Hochbahn Watch, and DB Security, involve the use of body cameras to garner evidence, promote accountability, and potentially deter incidents of crime and violence, thereby fostering a safer environment for both employees and passengers.
