Press Release 31st January 2005: "Taxi Drivers Protected"
PeopleSafe – the answer to lone worker safety?
New security device and voice monitoring service combines discretion with evidence gathering to protect taxi drivers
A new safety system called PeopleSafe from security specialists RockSure Systems Ltd could revolutionise the way in which taxi drivers can protect themselves and bring prosecutions against people who abuse them physically or verbally.
PeopleSafe combines the latest mobile phone technology, discretely packaged in a unit containing the identification badge of the taxi driver, with a range of pre-agreed options including sound recording and emergency alarm-raising. It allows the driver effectively to covertly make a call which is answered and recorded, without taking the often provocative step of taking out a mobile telephone when the incident is taking place. All recordings made by the PeopleSafe system are admissible in a court of law.
“It’s about making use of modern technology as well as understanding the issues involved, the potential provocations and the vulnerability of taxi drivers amongst other lone workers in the transport sector,” says Ian Johannessen, Managing Director of RockSure. “PeopleSafe is not just a panic button-style device, it is a comprehensive service which provides an appropriate solution depending on the seriousness of the situation facing the individual – whether this may be simply alerting the PeopleSafe centre and enabling them to listen in, or whether it may be a case of locating the at-risk individual and responding to their need through police support.
“This range of pre-agreed options can be brought into effect should the situation facing the lone worker deteriorate and the service also enables the recording of abuse for potential future prosecution.”
The PeopleSafe system is a positive step forward for lone worker safety throughout the transport sector, as Ian explains: “We see this system as a real breakthrough for taxi drivers. Clearly, strategies are in place for the deterrence of abuse but incidents do still happen and taxi drivers are still subjected to unacceptable levels of abuse from time to time. PeopleSafe provides workers with the ability to record the incident without waving a mobile phone in the face of the assailant (which invariably fans the flames) and allows them to resort to the law with evidence that is virtually impossible to get in any other way.
“Over time, as cases come up, convictions are secured and more and more lone workers use it, PeopleSafe will certainly play its part in deterring unacceptable behaviour, at this stage however it is more about gathering evidence and enabling prosecution as – we think - a valuable system which will be warmly welcomed by all public-facing employees.”
For more information on PeopleSafe, please visit www.peoplesafe.co.uk
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