reports CNBC that Walmart is equipping some employees with body cameras at several locations in the US.
The pilot program, a source told CNBC, is not meant to be a theft deterrent, but as a “worker safety tool.”
Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Retail, Wholesale and Merchandise Union, told CNBC, “There's a lot of harassment that goes on throughout the year, but especially during the holiday season.” He explained, “Everybody's stressed. If they can't find the item they're looking for, they get upset, and who do they blame? They blame the store clerk.”
Related: Amazon recalls merchandise celebrating suspected UnitedHealthcare CEO murderer Luigi Mangione
Workers have been instructed not to wear the devices in employee break areas and bathrooms and to only “record an event if an interaction with a customer is escalating.” Immediately after the recording, employees are told to tell another team member about it and log the incident in Walmart's “ethics and compliance application.”
Related: The Sam's Club executive would rather quit than move to Arkansas
David Johnston, vice president of asset protection and retail operations for the National Retail Federation, says he believes the cameras can be effective, citing the reverse-view feature that allows the person checking in to see themselves on the screen of the device video. “The moment you see yourself is probably (when) you're going to change your behavior, and that's what I think using a body-worn camera can do,” he said.
A former retail employee, who spoke to CNBC on condition of anonymity, is skeptical. “With these people, when they're in our faces and they're acting like they're going to hit us or they're threatening to meet us in the parking lot, they're not thinking rationally,” they explained. “Even with a camera in front of them, I don't think they would care at this point.”
All of which begs the question: is it really that bad at Walmart? This is what Dr. Bryan D. Woodard, a deputy in Texas, asked recently TikTok posts showing the cameras in action.
@deputybryanwoodard Believe it or not. WALMART employees now wear body cameras. #walmart #walmartfinds #walmartsyncalong #axon #body cam #police #4 on the page #for your site ♬ original sound – Dr. Bryan D. Woodard