City to test body-worn cameras to deter verbal abuse and violence toward Parking Enforcement Officers

Body-worn cameras (BWC) are being piloted in response to a surge in aggressive verbal abuse and physical assaults against PEOs. (Pexels Photo)

By City of Vancouver

Starting August 2025, the City of Vancouver will launch a six-month pilot program equipping 15 parking enforcement officers (PEOs) with body-worn cameras. This initiative aims to enhance the safety of PEOs as they carry out parking enforcement duties across the city.

Body-worn cameras (BWC) are being piloted in response to a surge in aggressive verbal abuse and physical assaults against PEOs. On average, a PEO was assaulted once every two weeks in 2024, and incidents continue to increase. The camera’s purpose is to deter and record aggression against staff including physical aggression (such as punching, shoving, kicking, grabbing, slapping), verbal abuse (screaming, abusive, racist language), and threatening behaviour. *See below for staff incident statements.

BWCs have been adopted by a number of organizations in communities across Canada as a strategy to deter violence and are associated with a reported range of positive outcomes.

Cameras will not be used to enforce parking rules.

PEOs participating in the pilot will receive specialized training and will only activate the devices when they feel their safety is at risk. PEOs will inform the public when an interaction is being filmed unless it is unsafe and impractical to do so. The City will refer any incidents involving criminal activity to the VPD for investigation. All recordings not requiring investigation will be deleted within five days.

“The City of Vancouver is committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and respectful work environment for all staff,” says Magnus Enfeldt, Vancouver’s Chief Safety Officer. “Parking enforcement officers play a vital role in ensuring our roads are safe and clear for the public’s safety, efficient traffic flow, and improved parking space availability. Everyone deserves to do their job without fear of facing inappropriate or abusive behaviour from anyone.”

The pilot program will evaluate whether BWCs deter verbal abuse and violence against PEOs and improve their physical and psychological safety. Officers wearing BWCs will be deployed in various areas of the city at different times of the day. The pilot will help compare the rate of incidents faced by the PEOs included in the pilot, relative to the rest of parking enforcement staff

“The safety and well-being of our staff are our top priorities,” says Jimmy Zammar, Deputy General Manager, Engineering Services. “While most interactions with the public are respectful and constructive, the frequency and intensity of hostility towards PEOs is increasing. Launching the body-worn cameras pilot reflects our commitment to protecting our employees as they serve the community.”

If the pilot program is successful in reducing violent incidents towards staff, the City will consider expanding the use of cameras to all PEOs.

The pilot is one of a suite of actions the City is taking in response to the increase in incidents faced by parking and other frontline City staff, as outlined in last fall’s Council presentation on Inappropriate Public Behaviours: Updating the City’s Violence Prevention Program to Ensure a Respectful and Safe Work Environment for Employees.

For more information on the pilot, visit vancouver.ca/body-worn-cameras.

*Staff incident statements:

1. As I was ticketing a vehicle, a female approached and asked why I was issuing tickets. I explained it was a no parking zone. Shortly after, two males came over, upset to find a ticket already on their vehicle. One of them turned out to be the owner of the first car I ticketed. He began arguing and then his friend then got in my face, pointing his fingers near my eyes and yelling and swearing at me… I asked him to move his hands away, but as I stepped back, he swung and backhanded me across the face. 
2. While on duty, I saw a female jaywalking toward a vehicle with a male. As she approached, she began shouting and swearing at me. Who do you think you are giving me a ticket? I calmly explained why she was getting a ticket and she continued swearing, got close to me, and ignored my instruction to step back. She then grabbed my handheld device and tried yanking it from my hand. I repeatedly told her to stop and not come closer. She attempted to knock it out of my hand and then taunted me.
3. I ticketed a taxi driver stopped in a no stopping zone who let passengers out in a right-turn lane. He asked why he was getting a ticket. I explained the signage and pointed out proper drop-off areas nearby. He became aggressive, swearing at me and calling me racist names. He suddenly punched me on the lower left jaw with his right fist, then grabbed my vest.