Is your CCTV a help or a hindrance?

Scotland Yard recently reported that less than one crime is solved for every 1,000 CCTV cameras in London CameraWatch Chief Executive, Gordon Ferrie says, “Of course, CCTV alone will not lead to a greater number of successful prosecutions. But when it is deployed correctly and effectively it can be a powerful piece in the evidence jigsaw that the police must put together.” Ferrie says, “I’m not surprised there’s confusion. It’s a complex area not just covering appropriate siting and signage issues, but also various pieces of legislation. In particular, the Data Protection Act covers images of people and requires they are held securely if the data is to be used as legal and admissible evidence. Storing images of people is also impacted by the EU Human Rights Act.” CameraWatch Compliance Director Paul Mackie said the Scotland Yard report makes painful reading for companies. He recommends, and CCTV Cameras London endorses the view that: “A simple once-yearly audit of your system will point out where you are going wrong and what needs to be done to make it fully compliant. Considering how much money these systems cost, it is small beer to make sure that your system is working effectively.” If you are concerned about the legality or effectiveness of your CCTV then contact Camera London for a chat or take advantage of our free CCTV audit and survey. Alternatively, see CCTV Camerads London’s latest business CCTV installation packages.