The Trade Association’s own comments follow on from the second reading of the Protection of Freedoms Bill in the House of Commons earlier this week.
As previously reported on SMT Online, the document – which ministers claim will protect millions of people in England and Wales “from unwarranted state intrusion into their private lives” – proposes that, under the new law, the Home Secretary will be required to publish a Code of Conduct on using CCTV and other surveillance cameras.
In addition, a new Surveillance Camera Commissioner will be appointed to monitor the operation of the Code and report to Parliament on an annual basis.
Cutting criminality in Parliamentary constituencies
Debate over the Protection of Freedoms Bill went on well into the evening, with MPs from various political backgrounds commenting on how useful CCTV had been in cutting crime in their constituencies, adding that many local residents had in fact requested a greater CCTV coverage in their area.
Former Home Secretary Jack Straw said: “In the whole of my 32 years in this House, I have never had a single representation seeking the removal of CCTV monitors. Not one. The demand is there because it makes people feel safe.”
Pamela Nash, Labour MP for Airdrie and Shotts, added: “Crime in Airdrie town centre fell by 24% in the first two years after the introduction of ‘open street’ CCTV. Surveillance continues to be supported locally, and is seen to be a great success in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour.”
This high level of backing for CCTV comes soon after Shipley MP Philip Davies spoke out in support of the use of surveillance in an article written for the influential ConservativeHome website.
In that article, Davies cites instances where CCTV evidence has helped secure convictions, adding that: “CCTV is not only an invaluable tool to the police, but also in the courts. The footage provides a conclusive and unbiased account of what has happened, void of someone’s spin or recollection. It’s very difficult to argue with CCTV images, and they often lead to changes of pleas from not guilty to guilty.”
View from the Trade Association
Pauline Norstrom, chairman of the BSIA’s CCTV Section, commented: “The crime-solving benefits of CCTV are well-publicised, as is its value as evidence in criminal proceedings.”
In addition, Norstrom stressed that CCTV increasingly plays its part in preventing crime when combined with detector technology such as video analytics or external detection devices.
“Alarm integration capabilities which are embedded in high quality CCTV systems enable the handling of alarm triggers from unmanned sites and the subsequent transmission of video using flexible streaming techniques. That’s an evolution from the early transmission systems which, many years ago, used the ISDN phone network and, today, the IP backbone.”
As an organisation, the BSIA has been at the forefront of driving self-regulation in the CCTV arena. An example of the early intervention approach to surveillance has been BS 8418-compliant, remotely monitored, detector-activated CCTV, which includes the audio challenge capability often referred to as ‘talking CCTV’.
BS 8418 systems in focus
Using this technology, operators – who can see the intruders live on site once the latter have triggered ‘invisible’ alarms – may then also confront those intruders on a verbal basis (which, in 90% of cases, is sufficient to make them leave the scene).
To deal with more persistent intruders, BS 8418 solutions have the potential for operators to alert the police at the earliest possible stage, using site maps and camera footage to direct officers to a specific area and assist them in making arrests.
Norstrom continued: “CCTV has been a silent witness to crime, gathering indisputable evidence after a crime has been committed, saving the Government millions as a result of guilty pleas, brokered after the criminal has been shown the video of himself committing the crime in question.”
“The BSIA-driven BS 8495 standard for the export of digital video for the purpose of evidence has gone a long way towards ensuring that proper procedures are followed when exporting video evidence.”
“Critically, manufacturers have recognised the need to make this easy for the user in the context of authorised access.”
The reality of CCTV today
Norstrom added: “The reality of CCTV today is that it’s increasingly a technology which is being used to support proactive intervention such that the damage and disruption caused by criminal activity can be dramatically curtailed.”
In conclusion, the BSIA’s CCTV Section leader said: “Should it become law, the Protection of Freedoms Bill will help to further ensure that CCTV is used as a force for good, reducing crime, protecting the public and strengthening public confidence in CCTV surveillance.”
“As such, it’s encouraging to see the benefits of CCTV recognised so publicly across the House of Commons.”
For more information on the work of the BSIA’s CCTV Section access the website (a dedicated link is provided on the right hand panel of this page)
