Parking enforcement officers to adorn body cameras in Vancouver

Despite a seemingly monotonous job, parking enforcement officers across the City of Vancouver are experiencing higher levels of violence.

“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.”

That is what one PEO said of a case of physical assault on the job.

The city says on average, a PEO was assaulted once every two weeks in 2024.

Starting Tuesday, 15 PEOs will adorn body-worn cameras (BWC) in an effort to enhance safety as they officers carry out parking enforcement duties across the city. 

The cameras will be worn for a period of six months to evaluate their effectiveness in deterring violence.

“The safety and well-being of our staff are our top priorities,” Jimmy Zammar, Deputy General Manager of Engineering Services, said in a press release. “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.” 

The city says the camera’s purpose is to deter and record aggression, but will only be turned on if the officer feels their safety is at risk. PEOs will inform the public when an interaction is being filmed unless it is unsafe to do so.

BWCs will not be used to enforce parking rules, the city says.

“The City of Vancouver is committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and respectful work environment for all staff,” Magnus Enfeldt, Vancouver’s Chief Safety Officer, said in a press release. “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.” 

If a case of violence does occur, PEOs will report to the police who may request the camera footage. Any footage that is not used in an investigation will be deleted after five days.

Following the six month period, the city will compare the rates of incidents faced by PEOs included in the pilot relative to the rest of parking enforcement staff.

BWCs are increasingly being adopted by a number of organizations in communities across Canada as a strategy to deter violence.

In 2024, the Vancouver Police Department rolled out its body-worn camera pilot project. BWCs were rolled out to select officers including those in the Traffic
Enforcement Section.

On June 11, the VPD said it was expanding its BWC program and will be training an additional 800 frontline officers on the associated protocols in the coming months.