Harrow Council has announced that fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued by enforcement officers will only be valid if they are supported by evidence from a body-worn camera. The decision follows the sacking of two officers earlier this year who turned off their cameras before threatening a member of the public.
Incident leads to policy change
In June, footage was shared online showing enforcement officers working for Harrow Council, contracted from Kingdom Services Group, threatening a man during a confrontation on Northolt Road. One officer was heard saying, "When I'm not in uniform, I'm gonna knock you the f*** out and rip your teeth out." The clip reportedly began with one officer confirming their body-worn camera was switched off.
The council suspended all enforcement operations with Kingdom following the incident. However, it has now announced that a brand-new team from the company will be reinstated from September 1 to tackle anti-social behaviour.
New conditions for enforcement team
To strengthen standards, transparency, and accountability, the council has outlined several changes. The new enforcement team, specifically dedicated to Harrow, must ensure their body-worn cameras are switched on for all interactions with the public. Any FPN served without corresponding footage will be cancelled.
Additionally, body-worn cameras will have a pre-record function enabled as standard, capturing the 30 seconds before the button is pressed. Auditing of footage will increase significantly, with Kingdom required to audit at least 40 percent of the footage for the next six months. Weekly oversight meetings will also be held to monitor performance.
Council leader emphasizes accountability
Harrow Council Leader, Cllr Paul Osborn, said: "Everyone wants a cleaner, safer borough, and enforcement has an important role to play in helping us restore pride in Harrow. From September 1 a brand-new team recruited by Kingdom specifically for Harrow will carry out enforcement activity. They have been trained to meet the standards we expect when working with residents, businesses and visitors."
He added: "With autumn and winter bringing some of our busiest periods, including Bonfire Night and the festive season, it is vital that we have more enforcement officers on the ground, working alongside our in-house team, to stop offences and support our communities. We will hold Kingdom to account for any failure to meet those standards. Abuse, intimidation or bullying will not be tolerated, and any concerns should be reported so they can be investigated and acted on quickly."
Public reporting and oversight
Harrow Council has stressed the importance of having more enforcement officers on the ground ahead of the autumn and winter months, which it described as some of its busiest periods. The team is responsible for enforcing the rules laid out in the borough's Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).
Residents who want to report concerns about officer conduct can use a dedicated form on the council's complaints and compliments webpage, selecting 'Enforcement Officer Conduct'. The council said it will ensure the matter is reviewed appropriately, including reviewing available body-worn footage. Clear and obvious errors will be escalated to senior officers within both Kingdom and the council so that fair, proportionate, and common-sense decisions can be made.
