LOLLIPOP men and women are wearing body cameras to crack down on dangerous driving and abuse.

West Sussex County Council has announced a second school will have a crossing patrol officer equipped with a camera to catch those guilty of poor behaviour or criminal behaviour.

It follows the success of a trial at Camelsdale Primary School in Haslemere where a camera led to a significant reduction in incidents and provided evidence for a police investigation.

Council officers said the current level of abuse was having a harmful impact on the recruitment and retention of lollipop men and women, leaving some schools without the service.

Frustrated drivers are shouting abusive swear words while stopped at the crossing and driving past patrol officers in the road – a criminal offence comparable to driving through a red light and punishable with a fine of up to £1,000 and three points.

The camera scheme has been expanded to Harlands Primary School in Haywards Heath where aggressive drivers are reported to police twice a week and where one incident reduced the crossing patrol officer to tears.

School crossing patrol officer Louise Bishop has identified six schools where aggressive behaviour at crossings has become a real problem but red tape and the £200 cost of cameras has restricted their wider use.

Harlands Primary School has agreed to pay the costs of the scheme itself and Mrs Bishop is encouraging other schools to follow suit.

West Sussex has 98 crossing patrol officers but half a dozen vacancies with some posts not filled for more than a year, despite extensive advertising and inducements.

Mrs Bishop said: “The responses from the trial have been absolutely fantastic.

“We still have issues [at Camelsdale] but nowhere near as many as there were before.

“This abuse hurts recruitment, it certainly does.

“Patrol officers tend to be retired people and when they are abused they think ‘I don’t need this anymore, why am I doing this?’.”

To arrange a camera for a school contact 033022 26744 or email louise.bishop@westsussex.gov.uk.