'Body cameras might stop people abusing FEHD staff'
The leader of a union for Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) staff says he hopes the public will behave better around hawker control teams now some members are being equipped with body cameras. The FEHD says the cameras are to "safeguard the safety of the public and staff" and to "enhance the capability and accuracy in gathering evidence". On an RTHK programme on Monday, Au Pong-tim who chairs the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department Staff Rights Union said he hopes the cameras will help stop his colleagues from being abused. "During enforcement actions we often face some people who react fiercely, they may [even] attack our officers. You may have seen in the news or in online videos that our colleagues were provoked or attacked," he said. "Now that we have these cameras, it may make people think twice about their actions. I think it's a good thing." Au also noted that shops are expected to face higher fines soon if they block streets with their goods and said this could lead to even more conflicts with FEHD workers.