SECURITY STAKEOUT CCTV TO BE FITTED IN
SCARBOROUGH’S TAXIS?
Taxi passengers could be filmed during their journeys as drivers apply to install CCTV in their cars.
Drivers are seeking permission to fit CCTV cameras in their vehi- cles in a bid to protect themselves against threats and assaults from passengers. Scarborough Coun- cil’s licensing com- mittee is set to review a new policy, put together by the author- ity in response to the requests.
The policy sets out strict conditions for the use of CCTV in hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.
The cameras, which will cost drivers around £550 to install, will be activated by the vehicle’s ignition, and will continue to record for 15 minutes from the engine being switched off.
Andy Skelton, head of Environmental Servic- es at the council, is recommending the licensing committee approves the policy.
He told the Scarbor- ough Evening News: “The protection that will be offered to driv- ers and passengers by the installation and operation of approved CCTV systems in licensed vehicles must be balanced against the potential infringement of civil liberties and Human Rights.
“These conflicting rights may be bal- anced by imple- menting prominent signs to be displayed advising potential pas- sengers of the presence of the CCTV system, and by pre- venting the recording device from being tam- pered with, or its footage being ac- cessed by persons other than licensing officers or police offi- cers.”
As reported in PHTM, the policy has been subject to a six week consultation during which it was sent to the Scarborough and District Taxi Associa- tion, all taxi and
private hire operators and drivers, and North Yorkshire Police. Mr Skelton said: “A total of 15 responses were received but in principle there have been no adverse com- ments.
“A number of com- ments were received to the effect that the installation of CCTV should not be made a mandatory require- ment. It was never intended to make such systems manda- tory but rather to put a policy in place to ensure only suitable and effective systems are installed by those drivers wishing to do so.”
If the policy is approved by the licensing committee, it is proposed that with effect from 1st Novem- ber 2011, drivers, upon application for a new licence or for renewal of a licence, as part of that applica- tion may request to have a CCTV system installed in their vehi- cles.
Oswestry’s taxi drivers are calling for CCTV systems to be fitted in their cabs, saying they are vulnerable to abuse or attack at weekends as the town becomes a “war zone”.
But according to the Shropshire Star, claims by the Taxi Drivers’ Association have been refuted by Oswestry’s police inspector, who says the town centre is far more peaceful now than it was a decade ago.
In a letter to last month’s Oswestry Town Council meeting Mark Higgins, chair-
man of the Taxi Driv- ers’ Association, said that drivers feel the need for CCTV to be fitted in the vehicles, funded or match-fund- ed by council or crime prevention scheme. The letter says: “Shropshire Council licensing department has strict conditions on CCTV so the cost is out of reach for most of Oswestry’s taxi driv- ers .
“Oswestry town cen- tre is like a war zone at weekends and taxi drivers feel vulnera- ble to abuse or attack. The CCTV would not only pro-
CCTV CALL MADE BY DRIVERS OF OSWESTRY TAXIS
tect drivers and pas- sengers, but would give an extra pair of eyes to the police as they record not only the interior of the taxi but also face forward and record events that are happening in the street.”
Inspector Jim Stafford said that the town was nothing like it was a decade ago when the town was highlighted for its alcohol prob- lems.
He said: “The volun- teer run town centre CCTV has led to a marked reduction in crime and anti-social behaviour.”
WAR ON RACISM AND HATE CRIME IS ON MOVE IN LEEDS
Police in Leeds have helped launch a cam- paign to stamp out hate crime. West Yorkshire Police, the city’s crime and dis- order reduction part- nership Safer Leeds
and charity Stop Hate UK have joined forces to place hundreds of stickers in taxis and PHVs across the city. Stickers carry the messages “Hate Hurts - Abuse doesn’t travel in this taxi” and “Hate/ Racism will not be tol- erated in this vehicle.” The stickers are designed to deter hate crime and encourage those who are victims to report it to the police. Posters are also being placed in city take- aways and other nighttime businesses to warn offenders that hate crime is taken seriously and offend- ers will be prosecuted. Insp Mark Bownass, north west Leeds divi- sion’s lead officer on hate crime, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “Hate crime has a really damaging impact on individual victims and affects positive relationships between different sec- tions of our commun- ities and, as such, can-
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not be tolerated. “We treat all hate inci- dents very seriously and investigate them to the fullest possible extent with the aim of taking the strongest possible action against those involved. “We hope this cam- paign sends the message out loud and clear and makes peo- ple think twice and realise that their actions could ultimately end with a criminal convic- tion. We also hope is helps to give victims the confidence to come forward and report any incidents either to the police or through part- ner agencies like Stop Hate UK.” Cllr Peter Gruen, chair of Safer Leeds, said: “Hate crime will not be tolerated in Leeds. We are a city which prides itself on equality and taxi drivers and others involved in the city’s night time economy deserve to be treated with the same respect as everyone else.”
PHTM JULY 2011
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