TOUGH new regulations governing the use of closed circuit television are being called for by a Warrington MP.
Helen Jones, (pictured) the Warrington North MP, believes CCTV is a valuable tool in the battle against crime – 
but needs to be more strictly controlled.
She is one of the sponsors of a 10-minutes rule bill tabled by Ann McKechin MP concerning the use of CCTV.
Security cameras are now a routine part of police enquiries – more common than the use of DNA material in pursuing prosecutions.
However, when police gather CCTV evidence they have to collect it from a wide
variety of sources that currently do not have to follow any compulsory code or minimum requirements.
It estimated that there are around 400 town, public or municipal and city-centre CCTV systems in the UK with an additional 1.5 million privately owned and operated public-space CCTV cameras.
Public systems have a primary purpose to provide safety and includes the ability to provide evidential recording for police.
Cameras on private property that allow for a public presence, such as shops and bars, are much more likely to be a property protection scheme.
When serious incidents occur, police have to contact public and private owners, check if they have CCTV and find out whether the tape has been kept and is of a quality capable of being of use.
Currently the police do not know the quality of the equipment being used or how long images are kept – and this can cause delays in police investigations.
The bill would impose a duty on public bodies to co-operate with the police and specified local authorities on the use of closed circuit television, require certain users of CCTV to provide specified information to the police and require insurance providers to promote the use of CCTV systems.
Ms Jones said: “The use of CCTV is here to stay and there is no doubt that it can make a material difference in bringing forward prosecutions.
However, we must look carefully at how we regulate its use.
“The measures in the bill would impose a duty on public bodies to
co-operate with the police and require private companies to advise
the police about what equipment they hold, the type of training
their staff have been given and how long they hold the data. This
would make it easier for police to use CCTV in evidence. ”
MP calls for CCTV regulations
00 Comments
Share.
About Author
Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
