CCTV: YOUR PROTECTION DISGRACEFUL
“SHE WAS RACIST ACCUSED ME OF RAPE & SPAT AT ME”
Different industry but same drunken racist abuse and possible unfounded rape allegation that drivers in our trade potentially face on a regular basis- caught on camera in a Falkirk takeaway.
IMAGINE THE OUTCOME OF THIS INCIDENT IF IT HAD NOT BEEN RECORDED - AS IS THE CASE WHEN PRIVATE HIRE / TAXI DRIVERS ARE ACCUSED OF WRONG DOING AND THERE IS NO CCTV EVIDENCE.
Zoheib Arshad, who runs Kebabish take- away in Falkirk says he is still in shock after an unruly customer physically and verbally assaulted him and his staff, spat in his face and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to his restaurant, as shown in the video we uploaded recently.
A 33-year-old woman has now been arrested .
WHICH IS WHY PHTM& NPHTA ENCOURAGE THE INSTALLATION OF CCTV IN OUR TRADE’S VEHICLES...
As you know by now, PHTM and the NPHTA are fully behind the introduction, support, encouragement, however you wish to refer to it, of CCTV in licensed vehicles, although we prefer the volun- tary approach, leaving drivers and vehicle owners with freedom of choice.
The attacks on drivers and false allegations are getting worse. Actions taken against either are not going to change unless we stand up and do something about it!
Following the recent video doing the rounds of an aggressive abu- sive woman (detailed above) in a take away smashing the place up and then crying rape, it is all too clear and easy to see how these allegations are made. But this is far from being an isolated incident.
Allegations we regularly see and witness range from assault, rape, over charging, taking the long routes to inappropriate behaviour. Worse still, we have all seen the press coverage that this kind of allegation gets, and whether it’s true or false, it’s newsworthy and people are damned instantaneously. Worse still, when it leads to licensing committee hearings, invariably the result is revocation or suspension of driver’s licence, based on the fact that there is no cor- roborating evidence.
By contrast, we have seen the attacks, some extremely severe on our drivers. There have been: 66 drivers killed over the last two decades; hundreds of stabbings; numerous drivers hospitalised; runners; passengers being sick or trashing the vehicles. When that
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gets reported to the police, invariably the result is “there is nothing we can do as it is your word against theirs, and there is no evi- dence.” That is of course if they turn up at all!
You can clearly see the contrasting differences between the two approaches – once again, the taxi and private hire industry gets the worse end of the stick.
This was highlighed this month with the shocking announcement from Grant Shapps, which clearly issued guidance to protect inno- cent passengers and allegedly impose more measures on the bad industry workers. If you listen to the report and the implications made, you are all a threat to society and need harsher regulation!!
Although he did say “we know the majority of drivers are good” that comment slipped into his dialogue. The implication however, was maybe more indicative of the fact that even he realised the implica- tion he was making.
On the plus side (I think), he did suggest once again that local authorities look favourably at CCTV installations, which is further supported by recommendation 17 of the Task and Finish Report, and the governments response to it. This is also supported by the IoL, NALEO, the LGA, the safety camera commissioner and most groups. So we know it is coming!
Personally, it is about time we had some form of protection from these allegations and some evidence in the event of the attackers, it is about time we started: #turningthetables.
Similarly, the agenda is nowhere near fast enough.
In light of the COVID 19 pandemic, we all understand that funds are tight. We know fully well how harshly the industry has been hit financially, and how little support we have seen from the govern- ment, but there is another side to this! We are not the only ones who have been financially hit hard, many other sectors have seen a severe loss of income too, they are all scratching around for money, even those who have been on the furlough scheme have largely seen a 20% drop in the take home pay.
This industry is known for carrying cash, in fact we see that most of the attacks are based on attempted theft. This is only going to get worse, and cases of refusal to pay will heighten.
All of this means that whether we like it or not, whether it is right or not, whether it should happen or not – it is not going to stop it from happening, and this will happen, more so late at night when there is little support or back-up from colleagues.
The cost of the CCTV systems can be offset from many insurance companies, some councils (Leeds City Council for one) offer part funding towards the installations. To offset it further, the cost is tax deductable too as a business expense. And to top it all off, it can be paid monthly for the equivalent price of a few bars of chocolate, so the time is right, right now!!
If you equated this to the cost of AA membership or car insurance, both of which have but hope you never need to claim on, you. know it is a necessary tool of working our trade.
What price do you put on your own safety and protection? Call now: 01706 551 212
www.safesystemscctv.co.uk
AUGUST 2020
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