“Technology has moved on since the National Standards [on enforcement] were produced in 2014, the report stated, “We were struck by the LGSCO’s [Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman] evidence that they had not found fault with the agent’s behaviour in a single case where the enforcement agent was wearing a body-worn camera.
“We recommend that body-worn cameras be mandatory for all enforcement agents visiting homes and businesses. We also recommend that the regulator produce good practice on their use.”
It added that there was strong support for this approach within the debt collection industry and that body-worn cameras were described by those who provided it with evidence as “crucial”, “very useful”, “invaluable” and “an excellent advance”.
Further reading:
How to buy body-worn cameras
The report, also expressed surprise that “bailiffs are apparently so under-regulated compared with other sectors, especially given that they deal with some of the most vulnerable people in society,” and recommended that the government create a regulator for the enforcement agent industry, separate to the complaints body, with powers to stop unfit enforcement agents and companies from practising.
The report also notes that the “enforcement industry is relatively small: about 2,500 civil enforcement agents and just over 40 High Court Enforcement Officers are registered with the MOJ”.
