Municipal public order services are increasingly confronted with challenging situations. To enhance staff safety and improve transparency, body cams are becoming more and more important.
Body-Cams in municipal public order services are primarily used to protect field staff and help de-escalate conflicts. The NetCo Body-Cam Pro supports this with its front display. The visible presence of the camera, combined with clearly announcing a possible recording, has been shown to deter up to 75% of aggressors and reduce assaults. At the same time, the body-cam provides objective documentation and supports incident clarification.
With the NetCo Body-Cam Pro, public order staff benefit not only from video documentation, but also from technology that actively helps prevent aggressive behavior.
The use of body-cams in municipal public order services covers a wide range of situations. Typical scenarios include cases where conflicts can escalate quickly, such as:
Recording such incidents serves as evidence and helps analyze future operations.
The use of the NetCo Body-Cam Pro is intentionally kept simple:
1. Notification: Officers inform the individuals involved that recording with the body-cam may take place.
2. Activation: A single button press is sufficient. The camera provides haptic and acoustic feedback, and the front display clearly shows “Recording in progress.”
3. Recording: Only for as long as required for the specific situation.
4. Storage: The data is encrypted, and access is restricted to authorized personnel.
This creates a clear process that is both legally compliant and de-escalating
More and more municipalities are testing the use of body-cams in public order services, with largely positive results. In Germany, the introduction of the NetCo Body-Cam led to a significant reduction in assaults on officers. In Cologne, Duisburg, and Leverkusen, officers also report a clear de-escalating effect: as soon as the front display is activated and reflects the aggressor’s behavior, situations calm down in most cases. Due to this psychological effect, recordings are often not even necessary.
Public order offices confirm the benefits: body-cams increase officer safety, provide objective documentation of incidents, and deliver evidence when needed for administrative or criminal proceedings. Cities such as Münster, Krefeld, Hamm, and Herne therefore rely on the NetCo Body-Cam Pro to prevent aggression and strengthen trust in municipal services. False accusations can also be quickly disproven using recorded footage.
Adittional pilot projects to date show that body-cams are far more than just technology—they are an effective tool for violence prevention.
Data protection plays a central role in the use of body-cams. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Law Enforcement Directive (EU 2016/680) form the legal foundation. NetCo Body-Cams ensure secure and GDPR-compliant de-escalation in field operations. The NetCo Suite guarantees maximum data security “Made in Germany” through end-to-end encryption. Role-based access controls and retention policies are also integral parts of the NetCo Suite. The server location is in Germany. Public order offices must ensure that recordings are made only for defined purposes and that data is protected against unauthorized access
The de-escalating effect is one of the key advantages of using body-cams. The front display of the NetCo Body-Cam Pro allows individuals to see their own behavior, helping to calm tense situations.
Field reports show that using body-cams can reduce assaults on officers by up to 75%. This relieves staff both physically and mentally. Fewer confrontations also lead to reduced absenteeism and staff turnover. The simple operation of the NetCo body-cam Pro, with just two buttons, helps officers stay focused on the situation—allowing the camera to act as a de-escalation tool and a second set of eyes, rather than a distraction.
The use of body-cams contributes to greater transparency in public order services. Recording incidents makes officers’ actions more understandable and strengthens public trust. It also promotes better understanding of field operations. Video recordings provide an objective basis for reviewing complaints and allegations. Misleading footage—such as short clips taken out of context on mobile phones—can distort situations and lead to public criticism. Transparent communication and the use of body-cams help present facts accurately and strengthen trust. Overall, body-cams help create a more positive public perception and reduce misunderstandings
Public perception of body-cam use is mixed. While many citizens welcome the increased safety for officers and greater transparency, there are also concerns regarding data protection and surveillance. It is therefore important for public authorities to communicate openly and transparently about the use of cameras and to take public concerns seriously. NetCo aims to address these concerns by meeting German standards as a Germany-based provider—offering data storage on German servers, end-to-end encryption, role-based access controls, and defined retention policies.
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