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1,500 CCTV cameras spying on our streets
Friday 18th December 2009, 11:30AM GMT.
More than 1,500 CCTV cameras owned by councils are watching people in the West Midlands, latest figures revealed today.
A pressure group hit out at the increasing number of surveillance cameras used by councils, saying the streets should be policed by extra officers and not CCTV. Big Brother Watch, which carried out the survey of councils, found that Birmingham has the most cameras in the West Midlands, with 627 in operation watching 977,087 people.
Cannock Chase that has the largest number of cameras per person with 104 keeping an eye on 92,126 people. The figure works out as one camera per 1,000 people.
Councillor John Jillings, Cannock Chase Council strong communities leader, said: “Cameras play an important role in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour and provide real reassurance to residents.”
Sandwell Council has almost double the number of cameras of any other Black Country authority, with 181. Wolverhampton has 92, Walsall has 99 and Dudley has 78.
Alex Deane, director of Big Brother Watch, said: “Local councils are creating enormous networks of surveillance at great expense, but the evidence for the ability of CCTV to deter or solve crimes is sketchy.
“The quality of footage is frequently too poor to be used in courts, the cameras are often turned off to save money and control rooms are rarely manned 24-hours-a-day. We would all feel safer with more police on the beat.”
Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for safer communities Councillor Simon Hackett said: “Overall recorded crime in Sandwell has fallen by more than 40 per cent since 2002/03, representing over 16,500 fewer victims.
“We don’t put CCTV up to spy on people, it is to deter crime and to make people feel safer in public places.
“The feedback from neighbourhood forums is that people want CCTV as it makes them feel safer and if there is an incident, we have the evidence so we can take action.”
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What a shame it didn’t record the muggers who followed a young girl from the Bus terminus in Adkins Lane Bearwood then mugged her as she approached her home, or the criminals that broke into the Pawn Shop on Bearwood Road, but that would be asking too much of Sandwell Council to actually have CCTV Cameras that actually catch criminals.
Jim of Bearwood
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Is Councillor Simon Hackett attesting that the claimed overall crime reduction is due to increased CCTV? If so, to what extent? The Home Office’s own study found the cameras made little or no difference.
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I want police stations to be open, and policy makers to be held accountable – I do not want to see people fined £80 for dropping cigarette butts, whilst yobs run rampant on estates and the victims give up rather than face a plethora of bureaucracy and propaganda.
I do not feel you will solve those issues by filming people going about their daily business or restore their confidence in policy, especially given the concerns over who this information is shared wih, and why.
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Anything to bash the Council hey Jim, your pointless, negative – glass half empty life you lead is really something to pity…Id wish you happy christmas – but you would prob say BAH – HUMBUG!
Phil also of Bearwood (your not the only one here you know!)
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Couldn’t agree with you more Jim. With violent street crime rising all the time, it makes you wonder what good these cameras are.
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I remember reading some stats somewhere that stated although the UK has only 0.3% of the world’s population we have something like 30% of ALL the world’s CCTV cameras. Also the average UK adult is likely to be caught on CCTV around 300 times a day!
Orwell must be spinning like a turbo charger in his grave!
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Von, we’re the most heavily-monitored nation on earth. The underlying technology can now be analysed, processed and shared within the blink of an eye, and behind it? A multitude of private, corporate interests. The catalyst for such change has been increased tensions over national security, the fear of crime as well as budget cuts where they’re needed most. The outcome in my opinion is a weak, poorly-implemented system that ultimately creates fear and resentment – not amongst the criminal mindset but amongst the law abiding majority.
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Phil, glad you find it such a trivial matter, perhaps I should introduce you to the young girl who had to walk into her house and find that some low life had invaded a place that she should have felt safe in, her home, sadly the effect on her son will take a long while to sort out, but hey that’s ok because its not effecting you is it????
So Phil, you think this council is so wonderful?????
Is it because they are stopping all those criminals who allow toilet tissue to blow across the road.
Or they have put a stop to the young mom who was allowing her son to feed the ducks.
They have even made sure the disabled pensioner with the blue badge doesn’t park in a disabled bay without displaying his blue badge again, the fact that he had taken it inside to show parking control office, on their instructions, and was the reason it wasn’t displayed doesn’t matter.
So Phil I think I am fully justified in criticizing Sandwell’s Labour Council
I haven’t even mentioned the young girl who was followed from the buss terminus in Adkins Lane and was mugged on her doorstep, or the people who were mugged in Lightwoods Park and the bus station.
Then there was the drugs den in Loxley Road, and the Brothel that was raided on Three Shires Oak Road.
Phil obviously you’re a recluse or you walk round with your eyes shut, the only other possibility is that you could have some connection with the council and its in your interest to attack people who want to expose their failings!!!!!
Jim of Bearwood
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