Body Cameras for 2,000 German Rail Staff Take Effect as Onboard Assaults Climb
02.07.2026 - 00:01:43 | boerse-global.de
Starting this July, around 2,000 Deutsche Bahn employees working in long-distance services will begin equipping themselves with body cameras. The rollout, phased in over the coming weeks, marks the first time the state-owned railway operator has issued such devices to frontline personnel.
Voluntary Use, Strict Rules
The initiative covers train attendants, onboard catering staff, and employees in DB Lounges. Wearing the camera is voluntary for workers. Before deployment, all affected staff completed training on proper handling of the equipment.
The cameras are intended to serve a dual purpose: de-escalate tense situations and preserve evidence in the event of an attack. Continuous recording is not permitted. Devices are only activated when a situation escalates—and staff must verbally inform the other party before starting to record.
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Footage is automatically deleted after 72 hours if no incident is reported. Access to stored video is restricted to the Federal Police (Bundespolizei). The railroad also plans to introduce audio recording during the third quarter of 2026.
Fatal Attack Spurred Action
Germany’s railway network recorded more than 3,000 attacks on employees in 2025, according to official figures cited by the company. The tipping point came in February 2026, when a train attendant was fatally assaulted near Kaiserslautern. That event prompted a joint action plan involving federal and state governments, unions, and the transport sector focused on improving security for both personnel and passengers through strengthened video surveillance and better technical equipment.
Deutsche Bahn board members stress that long-distance travel remains fundamentally safe but describe body cameras as a critical component of the security concept. The executive board had committed after the February killing to equip all customer-facing staff with the cameras.
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Works Council Backs Rollout
The company’s central works council explicitly supports the measure, emphasizing the voluntary nature of usage as a key factor for the workforce. Under the broader security package, the railway is also hiring 200 additional security officers and upgrading emergency call buttons for staff.
Frankfurt Police Parallel Test
In a separate but concurrent move, Frankfurt am Main’s municipal police force began a trial phase for body cameras in early July. Usage there is also voluntary and triggered manually in specific situations.
Hesse’s data protection commissioner, Roßnagel, stated that camera use is only permissible when a dominant security interest exists. Open and incident-triggered operation is legally acceptable, he said, while permanent recording is not. Audio capture remains under scrutiny but could potentially be justified under specific legal frameworks in the future.
