German rail issues 2,000 staff with bodycams after fatal attack

German state-owned rail company Deutsche Bahn (DB) announced on Wednesday it is issuing bodycams to 2,000 staff members following a fatal attack on a conductor in February.

The bodycams will be issued to conductors and to restaurant car staff. It will be up to individual staff members to decide whether to attach them to their uniforms.

The aim is to provide evidence when attacks occur and to increase the safety of DB staff. "Bodycams contribute to both passengers and staff feeling safe in the trains," DB said,  adding that they can act as a deterrent while also helping to document incidents.

DB chief executive Evelyn Palla announced the move immediately after the February attack.

The new measure is part of a plan of action for greater safety in trains. Other measures include employing an additional 200 security staff and the development of an alarm button that staff can use unobtrusively to inform control points of dangerous situations.