In the Protection of Freedoms Bill, reference is made to the forthcoming appointment of a Surveillance Camera Commissioner and to the stipulation of a Code of Practice for the CCTV industry.
The CCTV Section of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) believes that it’s in everybody’s interest this technology is applied to best effect to fight crime – and the ongoing terrorist threat – within an agreed framework which addresses private concerns (and other issues) such that the public’s largely positive regard for CCTV can be maintained.
For this reason, the Association and its members have welcomed the Bill and the introduction of carefully thought-out regulation, with the provisio that adequate consultation takes place.
The BSIA is therefore extremely keen to co-operate with the Government in order to inform the Code of Practice.
The BSIA’s CCTV Section has always been a strong advocate of Best Practice and standards, regularly issuing industry guidance on the effective employment of CCTV.
A number of documents and standards are already in place. The BSIA’s Guide to Privacy Masking, for example, addresses privacy concerns by specifying that commercial surveillance systems should be designed to limit their coverage such that they don’t point to areas or ‘spaces’ outside of their intended use.
Working alongside Government to advice on CCTV
Pauline Norstrom, chairman of the BSIA;s CCTV Section, has commented on the new Protection of Freedoms Bill.
“The BSIA has a long track record in working alongside the UK Government to advise on CCTV,” said Norstrom, “for example to influence the formation of the National CCTV Oversight Body and the appointment of an interim CCTV Regulator with the previous Government.”
According to Norstrom, regulation represents a key step forward for the industry in terms of the development of national CCTV standards, image quality and training, as well as improving public understanding of CCTV technology and its capabilities.
“The BSIA has been very active in this area,” continued Norstrom, “making significant contributions to the work of the National CCTV Strategy. As such, the Association hopes to continue to advise the coalition Government as it plans to further develop this area. It’s hoped that the Government will continue to engage with industry in order to ensure the effectiveness of such developments.”
Norstrom added: “CCTV is vital to the protection of our society, and the security industry is dedicated to ensuring it’s used responsibly. It is, in fact, possible to safeguard civil liberties while making the most effective use of CCTV systems as the two things are not mutually exclusive.”
Distinguishing between state-owned and privately-owned CCTV
The CCTV Section chairman also stated it’s important to understand the difference between state-owned and privately-owned CCTV.
“State-owned CCTV accounts for less than 10% of the cameras in the UK. It’s the privately-owned surveillance systems that provide the majority of evidence in prosecutions. Moreover, in the commercial environment, business owners are already adopting Best Practice as their main concern is to protect their assets in the most effective way.”
CCTV has played a crucial role in solving crimes such as the Jamie Bulger case, the Tonbridge cash depot robbery and the London 7/7 bombings.
“In order to ensure it continues to prove its worth,” concluded Norstrom, “it’s important for the Regulator and the industry to work closely together to understand both the public and the industry’s requirements.”
For further information on the work of the BSIA’s CCTV Section click the link provided on the right hand panel of this page
