Should Hampshire Town Scrap CCTV?

//Should Hampshire Town Scrap CCTV?

Should Hampshire Town Scrap CCTV?

The small town of Havant in Hampshire has compiled a report recommending the decommission of the 46 CCTV cameras in operation around the centre of town. Members of the council cabinet submitted the report to the Scrutiny Board at the beginning of April, who had been championing its effectiveness up until recently.

However, with the council forced to plug a £1.5m gap in the budget deficit by 2020, it seems as though the CCTV network’s days are numbered. The topic came before the full council on the 13th April and a full decommission of the units is expected in the near future.

The Case for Decommission

Chief amongst the council’s reasons for scrapping the CCTV system were the inflated expense involved in running it and its ineffectiveness in the field. The main arguments put forward by the council consisted of:

  • Total running costs of £134,096, the savings of which could be put towards other constructive community projects.
  • The existing cameras were placed in the wrong areas and provided little coverage to real crime zones.
  • The quality of a number of the cameras in question is too poor to justify continued operation, since it cannot provide accurate identification of perpetrators.
  • The cameras could potentially infringe on certain privacy laws by monitoring citizens without their knowledge or consent.

“A majority of the panel accepted that the current system no longer fulfils a majority of the original objectives and does not represent value for money,” reads an excerpt from the report. “A long term solution would be the provision of a county wide CCTV system monitored by the police, which has the political and financial support of all districts in the county.”

The Case for Surveillance

On the other hand, the report also admitted that there were several factors which provided evidence in support of maintaining the CCTV network. These included:

  • Public opinion – people generally feel safer in zones monitored by CCTV.
  • A local survey conducted in 2013 found widespread support for the CCTV system. 82.9% were happy with the current network and 64.6% thought that their presence reduced crime.
  • The cameras allow police to respond more quickly, accurately and effectively to distress calls. The Police and Crime Commissioner for the area expressed his disappointment at the negativity surrounding the cameras, saying: “CCTV is a useful tool for the police.
  • ‘It is funded across Hampshire by local authorities and it is their decision how they want to protect their residents, it is about protection. CCTV exists to gather evidence and deter offenders. From that perspective it protects the public.”
  • The potential to expand the system to include crime hotspots, including incorporating existing cameras at the town bus station and the Meridian Shopping Centre, could function to limit theft and petty crime.

The Value of Peace of Mind

Though Havant council are clearly and justifiably concerned about the substantial financial outlay that the network entails, the local police force and the town’s populace seem to be in favour of keeping the cameras in use. Even if the CCTV is only providing peace of mind to the majority of the town’s inhabitants, is that really such a frivolous and unnecessary commodity?

The same applies with regard to your own home. Though a break-in or burglary can seem unlikely on your property, the installation of CCTV and proper security measures around the exterior of your house can act as a deterrent to criminals and a reassuring safeguard for homeowners. And, in the worst case scenario, it can prove invaluable in bringing intruders to justice and recovering stolen goods should a thief try his luck.

To speak to our team of friendly and knowledgeable professionals about appropriate security measures in your home, get in touch with Blackburn Alarms today.

By |2016-07-01T09:25:01+00:00July 1st, 2016|CCTV|0 Comments

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