Extra CCTV to be rolled out in Dudley to tackle crime
Extra CCTV will be rolled out in towns across the Black Country on the advice of police.
Chiefs are keen for CCTV coverage to be extended to key hotspots which have been associated with crime, including Coronation Gardens in Dudley, Brierley Hill and Lye town centres.
Around 80 new cameras have been fitted across Dudley by the borough council over recent months but the roll out is to be extended further. The extra cameras are expected to be installed by the summer.
New cameras have already been fitted in Dudley town centre, where a new CCTV control base has been set up as part of the £1.7million project.
The new cameras are a lot more powerful than the current and outdated stock, with a greater ability to zoom on finer details from a larger distance.
Councillor Laura Taylor, the council's head of community safety, said the kit is "more sophisticated, provide more detailed images of issues" and "will provide greater coverage of our town centres and wider borough".
A council report said the additional locations had been "highlighted by West Midlands Police and others as a priority".
The report said: "The installation and replacement of CCTV cameras in town centres is either complete or nearing completion, all now expected to be complete by the end of March 2020 as a result of a slight delay caused by essential additional work. This work is contained within the existing budget of £1.7m.
"Additional camera locations are now proposed to extend the network, having been highlighted by West Midlands Police and others as a priority. These include areas such as Lye, Coronation Gardens in Dudley and Brierley Hill.
"Additional deployable cameras are also proposed. It is anticipated the additional work will be completed by the summer of 2020."
Council bosses have stepped up effort to tackle crime in the town over recent months and are also planning to fund five new PCSOs.
Statistics from the police.uk website showed there were 90 crimes recorded in and around Dudley town centre in December 2019, including violence, vehicle crime and criminal damage.
