• Charles Sturt University researchers are leading an investigation in collaboration with NSW Ambulance into body-worn cameras for NSW paramedics
• They seek participants aged 18+ to complete a short online survey
• The survey aims to determine what the public thinks about paramedics wearing body cameras for safety reasons

Charles Sturt University researchers seek participants for an online survey that investigates the attitudes of the public about body-worn cameras (BWC) by NSW Ambulance paramedics.

The project’s Chief Investigators are Associate Professor in Human Resource Management Larissa Bamberry and Dr Alain Neher, Senior Lecturer and Associate Head of School, both in the Charles Sturt School of Business.

The research is a collaboration between NSW Ambulance and the University’s Regional Work and Organisational Resilience (RWOR) Sturt Research Group.

“Not all research is done in a laboratory, and NSW Ambulance with Charles Sturt University are undertaking an evaluation of body-worn cameras to investigate how the cameras impact violence and other inappropriate behaviour against paramedics,” Professor Bamberry said.

“The Body-Worn Camera Project is a pilot program that was initiated to reduce occupational violence and workplace health and safety incidents for NSW Ambulance Service paramedics and to support ongoing responses arising from these incidents.”

The research project seeks to understand the effects of BWCs on occupational violence experienced by paramedics and how the broader community and other stakeholders view the use of BWCs by paramedics.

“The survey asks what ‘people in the street’ think about paramedics wearing body cameras for safety reasons, and what they perceive are their advantages, opportunities, challenges, worries, etc,” Professor Bamberry said.

People aged 18 years and over are encouraged to complete the short online survey to help inform this important research.

They can find more information about the project, and survey, confidentiality and ethics.

BWCs are presently being trialled in a pilot program by NSW Ambulance at six sites across NSW ─ Wagga Wagga, Sydney Ambulance Centre, Northmead, Artarmon, Liverpool, and Hamilton ─ with non-camera control sites in Albury, Blacktown and Ryde.