CCTV boom 'failing to cut crime'
kiakanpa | 06 May, 2008 08:15
From the BBC:
Huge investment in closed-circuit TV technology has failed to cut UK crime, a senior police officer has warned.
Det Ch Insp Mike Neville said the system was an "utter fiasco" - with only 3% of London's street robberies being solved using security cameras.
Although Britain had more cameras than any other European country, he said "no thought" had gone into how to use them.
...
Det Ch Insp Neville's unit is now piloting a new database of CCTV images which police hope will help track and identify offenders.
The unit is also looking at ways of using software which can follow distinctive brand logos on the clothing of unidentified suspects.
In addition, from next month, his team will be putting images of suspects in muggings, rape and robbery cases on the internet.
"If criminals see that CCTV works they are less likely to commit crimes," Det Ch Insp Neville added.
There are more than 4.2 million cameras in the UK, but until Viido was set up in September 2006 there had been no dedicated police unit to deal with the collection and dissemination of CCTV evidence.
If Viido, based at Southwark Police Station, is judged to be a success it could lead to the development of specialist CCTV units across the country.
Interesting times indeed.
UK, CCTV |
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Hmmm....
Anna. | 07/05/2008, 19:08
I heard him speak on the radio. I think that, largely, he talks a lot of sense. Yet more databases though... And just how they plan to use it does tingle in my conspiricy theorist's subconcious.