Poll: CCTV Yay or Nay

[ozseagull]

Having a police officer on a street is a crime deterrent, having 2 sat in the front of the van with God knows how many in the back is just a bloody waste of money. Those 3 officers could be deterring crime on 3 different streets not the 20 yards they're covering with their cameras sitting on their backsides.

Oh and being paid or not is no justification.

Oh dear. You are bitter and don't really know much. They aren't staffed by police officers. They are staffed by civilian staff. Also they don't have anybody in the back. That is for recording equipment etc.

Also I take it from you bitterness that this isn't a one off that it's parked outside your house which like Hans says, what are you/ your neighbours up to that causes them to constantly park there.

 

[Surrey Seagull]

Oh silly me, so it's not the police in a police van dressed in police uniforms. Phew I was worrying for nothing, that really puts my mind at ease. Thanks oz!

But on a serious note, if it's not the police in a police van dressed in police uniforms then just who is it doing the recording? It does have on the side in association with the local council but it's definitely not a council van.

 

[Mellotron]

Where's the option for "Understand the need for them as a necessary evil."?

 

[ozseagull]

Oh silly me, so it's not the police in a police van dressed in police uniforms. Phew I was worrying for nothing, that really puts my mind at ease. Thanks oz!

But on a serious note, if it's not the police in a police van dressed in police uniforms then just who is it doing the recording? It does have on the side in association with the local council but it's definitely not a council van.

Ok. Seriously it is not police officers. You will have to trust me on this one. (And no I don't work in the CCTV vans, but I am in the know). They are not police officers in there. Surrey and Sussex police have recently given all of their civilian staff police style uniforms. This will give the appearance that they are police officers. It will be police operated and council funded.
If you do genuinely feel that the van is parked outside your house excessively have you contacted Surrey police and asked why it is always there? If it does transpire that they just like it there then tell them it's affecting you. They will listen and will act if appropriate.

 

[beorhthelm]

For those of you who think that CCTV cameras/vans etc. are unintrusive, give this a try. The next time the council's CCTV car or van appears in your street, take out your mobile phone and start recording their activities. For some reason, they get very upset by this.
Strange reaction as it's perfectly legal and they're a benefit to the local community or so they say. Record those who are recording you.

Oh silly me, so it's not the police in a police van dressed in police uniforms. Phew I was worrying for nothing, that really puts my mind at ease. Thanks oz!

But on a serious note, if it's not the police in a police van dressed in police uniforms then just who is it doing the recording? It does have on the side in association with the local council but it's definitely not a council van.

so is it council or police

 

[Creaky]

Very much pro, same for ID cards. If you've done nothing wrong you've nothing to worry about.

Do those who take this view have curtains in their windows that they close at night?

If so why? - After all if you are doing nothing wrong then you've nothing to worry about!!!

Personally I enjoy my privacy and I don't want to be spied on sitting on my sofa or walking down the street.

 

[El Sid]

Do those who take this view have curtains in their windows that they close at night?

If so why? - After all if you are doing nothing wrong then you've nothing to worry about!!!

Personally I enjoy my privacy and I don't want to be spied on sitting on my sofa or walking down the street.

So you have a camera pointing directly at your sofa and you're tracked everywhere you walk?

"Van 10 to control, Creaky's on the move"

Get a grip, Trueman!

 

[Creaky]

So you have a camera pointing directly at your sofa and you're tracked everywhere you walk?

"Van 10 to control, Creaky's on the move"

Get a grip, Trueman!

Nothing to do with cameras but the simple question of privacy.

Most people draw their curtains at night. Why? Because they enjoy their privacy and don't want to be observed by unseen strangers.

Cameras in public places manned by unseen people are an invasion of privacy in just the same way.

On private property, shops, banks etc there is a justifiable reason for them - in streets, parks etc then the justification is very tenuous - there is very little evidence, if any, to support the idea that they either deter crime or help solve crimes that have been committed.

 

[beorhthelm]

... there is very little evidence, if any, to support the idea that they either deter crime or help solve crimes that have been committed.

not going to spend time looking it up but i'm pretty sure you'll find there is mountains of evidence in arrest stats and crime reduction figures to support them on high streets and known trouble spots (albeit possibly move an issue elsewhere). councils/police wouldnt payout for them if there was no tangible outcome.

 

[Creaky]

not going to spend time looking it up but i'm pretty sure you'll find there is mountains of evidence in arrest stats and crime reduction figures to support them on high streets and known trouble spots (albeit possibly move an issue elsewhere). councils/police wouldnt payout for them if there was no tangible outcome.

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2011/aug/17/why-cctv-does-not-deter-crime
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/2192911.stm
https://dspace.stir.ac.uk/bitstream/1893/1798/1/Surveillance&Society 09.pdf
http://www.le.ac.uk/oerresources/criminology/msc/unit8/page_10.htm
http://www.no-cctv.org.uk/caseagainst/reports.asp
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/12/03151641/6#
http://library.college.police.uk/docs/what-works/What-works-briefing-effects-of-CCTV-2013.pdf

All I did was Google 'CCTV crime deterrence UK'

They are the top links, I didn't select just those that said CCTV doesn't deter crime. The final link is from the College of Policing and even that site says this:-

Overall, use of CCTV makes for a small, but statistically
significant, reduction in crime, but this generalisation needs
to be tempered by careful attention to (a) the type of crime
being addressed and (b) the setting of the CCTV intervention.
CCTV is more effective when directed at reducing theft of
and from vehicles, while it has no impact on levels of violent
crime.

 

[Surrey Seagull]

Oz, I live in a met police area...despite the objections of the locals who insist it's Surrey!

Beorhthelm, we have 2 kinds of CCTV van here. The police style one and the smart car parking enforcement CCTV car, which thankfully might be a thing of the past soon.

 

[Bwian]

not going to spend time looking it up but i'm pretty sure you'll find there is mountains of evidence in arrest stats and crime reduction figures to support them on high streets and known trouble spots (albeit possibly move an issue elsewhere). councils/police wouldnt payout for them if there was no tangible outcome.

That any arrests are made thanks to CCTV footage is a bloody miracle. The odd time I watch a show like CrimeWatch they show some recording asking for people who know the suspect(s) to call in with their name(s). The outdoor ones are typically dreadful imagery and even if I was looking at footage of me on some of the videos, I wouldn't recognise myself.

 

[Don't get me started]

Helllooo UKPLC is filming you (look at the technology via facebook), they know who you are! why do you think passport/driving license has to be a digital photo, Oh they are also monitoring E mail/Internet & phone.. But hey if you have nothing to hide eh!! Why don't you just save them the hassle and get yourself tagged after all you have nothing to hide and all those hard fought liberties to chuck away. If we are all OK with this then we deserve it.

 

[ozseagull]

Oz, I live in a met police area...despite the objections of the locals who insist it's Surrey!

Beorhthelm, we have 2 kinds of CCTV van here. The police style one and the smart car parking enforcement CCTV car, which thankfully might be a thing of the past soon.

Ah well that's different then. The Met are very different to any other force and seem to do things very differently. Normally upsetting people more often than not and generating more complaints than county police forces combined.

 

[beorhthelm]

All I did was Google 'CCTV crime deterrence UK'

meh, i'm wasnt trying to advocate. i just recall there was a study showing strongly positive impact on high street crime before and after CCTV installation.

 

[yxee]

They're generally only annoying if you're doing something wrong, and generally quite useful if you're a victim of crime and one catches it.

Of course all that information needs a lot of protection, and we can't always assume this is the case.

 

[Creaky]

meh, i'm wasnt trying to advocate. i just recall there was a study showing strongly positive impact on high street crime before and after CCTV installation.

Don't know about that but there seem to be plenty saying different

 

[Thunder Bolt]

What the HELL have you been up to?

Look at his location for a clue.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Very anti - my affairs are none of your damned business.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I know a young man who had been arrested for violently assaulting a police inspector during a demonstration in Brighton. Fortunately the assault was captured on a CCTV camera and he was able to prove the arrest was based on mistaken identity. Without the CCTV evidence, I have little doubt that he'd have been banged up. Interestingly, it took his defence lawyer to find the CCTV evidence (the day before the case was due to go to trial); the police claimed they couldn't find the coverage.