Confronting violence: Inspectors from Metropoline Ltd. will carry body cameras throughout their bus trips

The Histadrut and Metropoline Ltd have signed a special precedent-setting collective agreement intended to protect bus inspectors and drivers and create deterrence *** If a camera records an assault on a driver or inspector, the evidence will be passed to the police for further handling *** Avi Edri, Chairman of the Transport Workers’ Union at the Histadrut: “An important step in building protection and deterrence. Let every attacker know that the recorded evidence will carry critical weight for the severity of sentencing at the courts.”

The Transport Workers Union of the Histadrut and Metropoline Public Transportation Ltd. today (Tuesday) signed a special precedent-setting collective agreement under which dozens of Metropoline inspectors will carry body cameras to protect themselves against violence and establish deterrence.

The inspectors will activate the body cameras each time they board a bus and deactivate them only upon leaving the bus. The camera will photograph and record continuously; if it documents an attack on a driver or inspector, the footage will serve as evidence for police investigations.

The signing of the agreement brought together Avi Edri, Chairman of the Transport Workers Union at the Histadrut; Doron Ezra, National Division Director in the Transport Workers Union; Rafi Gigi, Chairman of the National Administrative Workers’ Committee at Metropoline; Adv. Moria Glick of the Elad Morag Law Office; and Adv. Ifat Arinovski of the M. Passy & Co. Law Office.

Avi Edri, Chairman of the Transport Workers Union at the Histadrut, said: “This is another important step in building protection and deterrence against incidents of violence targeting the drivers and inspectors on public transportation. Let every attacker know that the attack is being visually recorded and that the documented evidence will carry critical weight for the severity of sentencing at the courts.”