You see them more and more abroad and in other Dutch entertainment cities: bodycams with security guards in the nightlife. That is good for the public and safety on the street, advocates say. And not only that: “More and more security guards also see the usefulness in it”. At the Chin Chin Club on Rozengracht in Amsterdam, security officers are provided with bodycams to ensure the safety of visitors and staff.
A camera on a doorman’s jacket or vest, which can be turned on as desired. The images end up in a well-protected computer program, where club managers – and, if necessary, the police – can study the video. The use of such a mobile camera system, bodycams, is not yet commonplace in Amsterdam. But in the hospitality and security sector, they see signs that this will change in the near future.
At the Chin Chin Club on Rozengracht they are tackling: security guards get cams to ensure the safety of visitors and staff. The security guards, whom the club hires from an external company from Almere, will also wear a suit for a more professional appearance.
An employee of the club, who wishes to remain anonymous, says that the measure is also intended to improve the image of the club. On Google Maps, several visitors write about negative experiences with the club’s security personnel. Recently, a passer-by filed a report because security guards allegedly pulled him off the bike, punched him and threw homophobic things at his head. The police have now closed the case; although there will be no prosecution, the Chin Chin Club has said goodbye to some of the security guards involved.
De-escalation
Equipping catering security with bodycams is not an uncommon step, says Reinier Willems of ZEPCAM, a Delft company specialized in bodycams. “It is already quite normal in England and Australia. You can also see it there at pharmacies and in supermarkets. Due to the humiliation of society, there is an increasing need for these kinds of de-escalating agents.”
Because apart from the fact that the portable camera can record incidents and thus provide evidence, it also creates a certain image, says Geert Sijtzema of the International Security Agency (ISA). “We supply many porters around Leidseplein. Those guys experience one evening that they are called rotten fish thirty times. Unfortunately, it is part of it these days. A police officer can still write out a fine, but a porter apparently just has to deal with it. ” If the public sees that security guards are wearing a camera, there are significantly fewer incidents, Sijtzema knows. “Because walkers at the door see the camera and then think: I have to behave.”
unusual
At the moment, the use of bodycams in Amsterdam nightlife is not yet common. “Four weeks ago I did an inventory at quite a few clubs,” says Eveline Doornhegge of the Amsterdam department of Koninklijke Horeca Nederland. “That produced a mixed picture. You notice that people are thinking about it, especially because after the corona crisis, the public is sometimes less approachable.”
Sijtzema confirms that the use of bodycams in Amsterdam is still unusual. “I think Amsterdam is a bit behind in this regard, especially if you compare it with other nightlife cities, such as Rotterdam or Breda.” This is partly because Amsterdam already has many cameras on the streets. “But that is of little use in the event of incidents behind the front door. Sometimes you also see that security guards themselves do not like it. Because it influences how you do your work and how you approach people.”
Safety
While the security guards can also benefit a lot from bodycams. “If you have to evict someone, it is often people who are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If they resist, they can get hurt. If there is a charge, then 9 times out of 10 the visitor is in the equated,” says Sijtzema, who thinks that film material of such incidents can actually speak in favor of the security guards. “By the way, that resistance among security guards does not occur at the better clubs, boys who have had a good education work there. They see the benefit of it.”
Sander Flight is a researcher and advisor in the field of security and crime and specializes in camera surveillance. In a comprehensive report he explains which rules governments and companies are bound by if they want to use cameras.
Privacy rules apply to the use of cameras (including bodycams) by private clients, which are laid down in a law, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). First and foremost, the reason for filming must be serious, because it restricts the privacy of people who can be filmed. Clients must therefore be able to explain why they want to use bodycams. In the GDPR this is referred to as ‘legitimate interest’.
In a written response, he explains that companies must also take many measures in areas such as the security of the images, the duration of the recording and privacy protection for the public and guards.
Remarkable: so-called ‘installed’ cameras (for example screwed to a wall) are not allowed to film secretly: the public must be aware that they can be filmed, for example via information boards. This does not apply to bodycams, although according to Flight it is ‘desirable’ that the public is aware that a bodycam can film them.
Sijtzema has no doubts that the cameras work. “Look at enforcement and the police. They have been using bodycams there for some time and the spirals of aggression have really gone down.” He thinks it is only a matter of time before the use of bodycams in nightlife will become commonplace, he thinks. “If someone says to a doorman: ‘I’ll shoot you in the head’ and you have it on screen, that can also be good for a much larger security image. Such a guy may already be known to the police and the judiciary.” In addition to the fact that it can work well for doormen and walkers, you can catch future ringleaders early on.
Pricey
So why do we see that the drug is not yet widely used? In addition to the professional honor of some security guards, the price tag also plays a role, according to Sijtzema. “One such camera plus the digital infrastructure costs around 2000 euros. Many security guards are self-employed, so that is a considerable investment.” He therefore believes that the clubs as clients can play a role in this. “At ISA we arrange it ourselves. In the public domain, the rule of thumb for us is that we equip our boys with bodycams. So also in nightlife.”