Latest News
| SECRET MILLIONAIRE |  | | | VIEW FROM THE HILL | | | | YOUR HEALTH | | |
|
|
|
Got an eye for trouble?
 |
| SCREEN WORK: A civilian at work on the monitors in the CCTV room at Blandford |
BIG Brother needs your help in North Dorset.
Police called for volunteers, yesterday to man CCTV control rooms in Shaftesbury, Gillingham and Blandford.
The Orwellian offer is open to all eagle-eyed residents, from students to OAPs, providing they can stay alert for protracted periods.
North Dorset section commander Inspector Phil Cheverton says CCTV has made a significant impact on street crime across his division. "We have seen criminal damage drop and public order offences fall.
"CCTV has featured in the investigations of various assaults, where we have been able to show clear footage of offenders.
"Certainly they are proving to be a strong crime prevention tool, and prevention is as important as cure.
"Having the ability to monitor the cameras at peak periods will provide added value to policing, which helps us to maintain a very low crime level here."
Volunteers, with an eye for suspicious behaviour, will monitor 26 cameras on a part- time basis - and if an incident takes place, they will liaise with police officers on the ground. Helpers will work a maximum four hours a week, including weekends.
Blandford CCTV co-ordinator Michael Warr, said: "We are looking for volunteers with good visual and communication skills and an ability to concentrate for long periods of time.
"Some technical ability in basic computer literacy would be beneficial but full training will be provided."
In Wimborne, where £70,000 was recently spent on upgrading the CCTV system, ten volunteers have monitored cameras for four years.
Wimborne volunteer and CCTV co-ordinator Joe West said: "Our monitoring service has played a major part in reducing graffiti and vandalism. Our control room also benefits from being linked up with PubWatch and Shoplink."
A Liberty spokesman said: "CCTV is not a magic bullet - while it can provide evidence that could lead to a conviction, it has limited crime prevention powers.
"Studies show that the most effective way of curbing crime is regular, consistent police patrolling and good street lighting."
7:00pm Wednesday 23rd July 2008
Print 
Email this 
CommentPosted by: sisyphus, Newtown on 1:51pm Thu 24 Jul 08
Crime prevention (not detection - CCTV cameras are hopeless in this respect and are never used in court as evidence, the images are next to useless) on the cheap, using nosey-parker volunteers to work f.o.c. while the fatcats line their pockets, vote themselves huge pay rises and sit on backsides being very busy attending Safer Neighbourhood meetings and Crime Prevention conferences at the taxpayers' expense congratulating themselves on hitting a few ludicrous govt targets - cheers chaps, doubles all round!
Crime prevention (not detection - CCTV cameras are hopeless in this respect and are never used in court as evidence, the images are next to useless) on the cheap, using nosey-parker volunteers to work f.o.c. while the fatcats line their pockets, vote themselves huge pay rises and sit on backsides being very busy attending Safer Neighbourhood meetings and Crime Prevention conferences at the taxpayers' expense congratulating themselves on hitting a few ludicrous govt targets - cheers chaps, doubles all round!
Posted by: dannyboy01, poole on 2:18pm Thu 24 Jul 08
Guess we wont be counting on your help then sisyphus, next time a headline reads "chavs on street corners drinking cause residents misery" we can look out for your input on why the police and local authorities are not doing anything to kurb it, well this proves that they are, the evidence IS used in court and is the best way of convicting. If you dont have the time to spare yourself to help your community dont bother making comments.
Guess we wont be counting on your help then sisyphus, next time a headline reads "chavs on street corners drinking cause residents misery" we can look out for your input on why the police and local authorities are not doing anything to kurb it, well this proves that they are, the evidence IS used in court and is the best way of convicting. If you dont have the time to spare yourself to help your community dont bother making comments.
Posted by: MIG, Poole on 7:52pm Thu 24 Jul 08
Monitored CCTV can be very useful, it depends who is monitoring it and what their training and experience tells them to look out for. When Manpower is available there is nothing better than: "It is happening now."
Recorded CCTV is the one that has given the whole thing a bad name. The older type which does not show anything in the dark, gives time lapse images with poor definition, that is the system where people cry: "But I thought it was covered by CCTV!" Well it was and 24 hours later the victim can be told what time his car was stolen, not who stole it or where they went.
CCTV recordings have been used as evidence for Court for many years, when they are good enough. I would suggest that most of the time the recording is not displayed in Court because the Defence Solicitor has decided not to contest it because it doesn't help his case. Unless they invoke the part of the law which allows them to use 'evidence' which shows that their client cannot be seen on camera, even if it's obvious that the recording was rubbish...
Monitored CCTV can be very useful, it depends who is monitoring it and what their training and experience tells them to look out for. When Manpower is available there is nothing better than: "It is happening now."
Recorded CCTV is the one that has given the whole thing a bad name. The older type which does not show anything in the dark, gives time lapse images with poor definition, that is the system where people cry: "But I thought it was covered by CCTV!" Well it was and 24 hours later the victim can be told what time his car was stolen, not who stole it or where they went.
CCTV recordings have been used as evidence for Court for many years, when they are good enough. I would suggest that most of the time the recording is not displayed in Court because the Defence Solicitor has decided not to contest it because it doesn't help his case. Unless they invoke the part of the law which allows them to use 'evidence' which shows that their client cannot be seen on camera, even if it's obvious that the recording was rubbish...
Posted by: Echoispoo, Poole on 2:06pm Sat 26 Jul 08
The idea of getting a bunch of part time wannabe security officers manning the camera system worries me.
Are they all S.I.A PSCCTV licensed?
The idea of getting a bunch of part time wannabe security officers manning the camera system worries me.
Are they all S.I.A PSCCTV licensed?
What are these links for?
If you liked this article and would like to share it with others on the web who might be searching for good content we've made it easy for you to do it.
At the bottom of all articles, you'll see links to six sites. These sites - commonly called 'social bookmark' or 'social news' sites - have large communities of web users who share and rate interesting, useful and fun things on the web.
Clicking the links will automatically add the address of the story you are reading to one of these sites, letting you share it with others. Each site will ask you to register to share stories. Registration is free and once a member, you can store, recommend and search for stories that interest you.
More on Digg
More on del.icio.us
More on Furl
More on reddit
More on NowPublic/
More on Yahoo!
