Coventry Business Improvement District (BID) has invested a five-figure sum in new body-worn camera equipment for its street patrol team, as part of a push to improve safety and security in the city centre.
The Axon system, used by police forces and law enforcement agencies around the world, including the FBI and West Midlands Police, will give the BID’s patrol team the latest tools to record, report and respond to incidents.
The technology is expected to help tackle issues such as shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.
Among the new features are live streaming, automatic transcription, and translation across more than 120 languages, which the BID says will improve communication with businesses and emergency services. The cameras also include AI redaction technology, capable of automatically blurring faces, personal information and other sensitive details from footage, supporting data protection when evidence is shared with police or partner agencies.
The system will also support written incident reports, helping the team collect evidence and create secure links to share footage with investigators.
Coventry BID’s street patrol team operates seven days a week, tackling anti-social behaviour and supporting businesses dealing with shoplifters, working closely with West Midlands Police to deter crime in the city centre.
Joanne Glover, chief executive of Coventry BID, said the team was out in the city centre every day, supporting businesses, speaking with visitors and helping to keep Coventry a safe place to shop, work and visit.
She said the investment would enable stronger reporting, help capture incidents more effectively, and support communication with visitors who may not speak English as a first language.
“It is another example of the BID investing directly into the city centre and giving our team the tools they need to support businesses, reassure visitors and work efficiently with our partners,” she added.
