CRIME REDUCTION INITIATIVES


In light of recent ACPO statistics on the number of CCTV cameras,Dave Pickles of Siemens examines how some local authorities are using the technology effectively.


stalled across the UK in comparison to the rest of the world. The original estimate of 4.2 million went some way to supporting this.


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However, research from the Association of Chief Police Offi cers released in March 2011 indicates a much lower fi gure and es- timates that there are approximately 1.85 million cameras in the UK. This has fur- thered the public debate around the opti- mum number of cameras to ensure public safety. For those responsible for commu- nity safety who have invested in CCTV, it is imperative to get the best value from their installation and ensure a sustainable model year on year.


Local authorities are currently under par- ticular pressure in the face of signifi cant cost reduction targets of 25% year on year for the next four years, whilst the need for public safety continues to grow. The impor- tance of effi cient CCTV services across local communities has never been more impor- tant.


There are three key areas that would assist local authorities in maximising their exist- ing CCTV resource and further developing their services.


46 | public sector executive Mar/Apr 11


he national media has often focused on the high number of cameras in-


Firstly, the concept of outsourced CCTV services. The London Borough of Bexley is the fi rst local authority to outsource its entire CCTV operation. This pioneering project required Siemens to design, build, staff, manage, operate and maintain all the borough’s CCTV services. This solution has enabled the borough to benefi t from advanced technology and superior man- power to further reduce crime and manage community safety. Most importantly, it has reduced long-term costs and improved the effi ciency of the service. It has become a centre of excellence in London for CCTV, allowing the borough to provide services to other public and private sector organisa- tions.


The London Borough of Bexley has recent- ly become the safest borough in the capital, moving from fi fth place.


Council leader Teresa O’Neill remarked: “This pioneering move that the borough has made in outsourcing its CCTV services brings many benefi ts for our residents and the council.


“The safety of our community remains a high priority and we wanted to both en- hance and modernise our existing serv- ice whilst lowering our long-term costs. Working with a partner from the private


sector has enabled us to achieve our objec- tives of providing sustainable community safety and may well prove to be a model that others take advantage of.”


Secondly, with the high number of control rooms across the UK, it makes commercial sense to consolidate services and share re- sources. In response to a market that will increasingly require technology to manage the response to critical incidents as well as deploy resources, a new generation of com- mand and control technology has been de- veloped to add signifi cant operational value by improving security and safety and man- aging critical situations. These advanced command and control software platforms will protect critical infrastructure and meet the demands of today’s communities whilst reducing costs and enhancing procedures.


The fi rst German command and control centre to combine the emergency services is in Hamburg, the second largest city in Germany, and it is a model that could be adopted by the UK. Police, fi re brigade and ambulance services are fully integrated and function seamlessly despite being located at two different sites.


Integrated command and control can as- sess and manage critical situations, dis- tribute essential information and deliver


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