Traffic wardens in St Albans will continue to wear body-worn cameras after a trial period found they led to fewer violent and verbal attacks.

Evidence from the cameras has been used in reports to Hertfordshire police following incidents – including an attack that led to an arrest this week, according to a council officer.

Members of St Albans City & District Council’s Public Realm Committee approved the trial in November 2022, and unanimously approved the continuation of the scheme at a meeting on Tuesday, September 10.

There were 23 ‘incidents’ of violence, aggression and verbal attacks on traffic wardens in the first eight months of the trial – down from 36 in the previous eight months.

Complaints against traffic wardens also decreased significantly, from nine in the eight months before the trial to two in the first eight months after cameras were introduced.

While the cameras are always recording, they do not save footage unless they have been activated. When activated, footage is saved of the incident itself as well as the preceding and succeeding two minutes.

The council’s assistant director (regulatory and compliance) said saving the previous minutes had been useful in an incident a month ago when a warden was “attacked from behind” in Harpenden.

He told councillors that the police had previously “never” taken cases up, but had now made “an arrest this week and two in the last month”. One of the incidents had been recorded using a body-worn camera.

Councillors were told wardens had previously “accepted a level of abuse” and “didn’t feel safe”.

But officers said the cameras have been “incredibly effective”, and that wardens no longer “hesitated” to report incidents.

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Cllr Anthony Rowlands (LD, Hill End) said he had been “cautious” when the proposal was first discussed, but was now “persuaded” of the benefits.

Other councillors echoed his support for the programme, including committee chair Cllr Helen Campbell (LD, Bernards Heath) who said the safety of wardens was “paramount” and Cllr Matt Fisher (Grn, Clarence) who said: “It sends the right message that the council are serious about not only protecting staff but also about [showing] zero tolerance.”

Nineteen cameras are leased to the council at a cost of around £14,000 per year. Funding for their continued use has already been agreed.