German conductors now wear bodycams

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Deutsche Bahn wants to better protect its employees against violent train passengers. That’s why she tests bodycams on the Black Forest Express between Offenburg and Karlsruhe. This is reported by ARD’s “Tagesschau”.

ARD accompanied a conductor at work with a bodycam. Valerie Fischer was also attacked herself. “A passenger pulled me and threw me on a seat,” says the conductor. “I was gone for a while too. That was brutal.”

When conflicts arise, Fischer is on his own. The bodycam gives him more security, he believes. “Sometimes situations escalate out of the blue. But when people see the camera, they immediately withdraw.”

Only record in a threatening situation

Fischer wears the bodycam in a holder at chest height and can see what the camera is capturing on a small screen. However, he may not start recording until he is in a threatening situation.

When an attack occurs, the video footage is automatically sent to the police to track down the attacker. The Association of German Locomotive Drivers (GDL) advocates a second conductor per train in addition to the bodycams to better protect the staff.

Attacks on train staff are also on the rise in Switzerland. According to 2020 figures from CH Media, more than 650 complaints have been made nationwide about attacks on train workers. The SBB does not want to confirm these figures when asked, but writes: “For us, any aggression is one too many.”

However, the SBB is not planning a self-experiment with a bodycam. “In the event of a conflict, the employees will call in the transport police if necessary. Violence and aggression towards our employees is an official crime. That’s why we report them.” For the employees affected by aggression, every single case is very serious.

Employees are specially trained to deal with difficult situations.

Source: Blick