New camera technology is being introduced in Coventry City Centre to support patrol teams, improve incident reporting and help to keep visitors safe.

Coventry Business Improvement District (BID) has made a five-figure investment in new body-worn camera equipment which will be used by its street patrol team in the city centre.

The Axon system comes as part of continued investment in safety and security by the BID and is used by police forces and law enforcement agencies around the world, from the FBI to West Midlands Police.

It will provide the BID street patrol team with the latest tools to record, report and respond to incidents, helping to combat issues such as shoplifting and anti-social behaviour.

The new cameras will enable live streaming, automatic transcription and translation across more than 120 languages and enable more efficient and effective communication with businesses and the emergency services.

It includes AI redaction technology, which can automatically blur faces, personal information and sensitive details from footage, supporting data protection when evidence is shared with police or partner agencies.

The technology will also be able to support written incident reports, collecting evidence and creating secure links to share footage to support with police investigations.

Coventry BID’s street patrol team operates seven days a week tackling anti-social behaviour and supporting businesses in dealing with shoplifters. The team works closely with West Midlands Police to deter activity in the city centre.

Joanne Glover, Chief Executive of Coventry BID, said: “Our team is out in the city centre every day supporting businesses, speaking with visitors and helping to make sure Coventry remains a safe place to shop, work, visit and enjoy.

“This is a major investment from the BID in new technology which will enable stronger reporting, help us capture incidents more effectively and aid the street patrol in communicating with those 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.”