In the May print edition of Professional Security magazine, we featured help points beside on-street CCTV, in Nottinghamshire.
Similarly, Warwick District Council (WDC) has launched two new safety call points in Leamington Spa as part of its CCTV operation’s ‘Safer Streets’ work. That’s the name of the Home Office fund that in recent years has been giving usually six-figure grants to local government, often backed by police forces and police and crime commissioners (PCCs), that includes money for more, or more up to date, public space surveillance and better lighting.
Andy Crump, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety at Warwickshire County Council said: “The safety of residents is paramount. The call points are one part of a wider safety initiative that involves partners and agencies from across the county. The link between the call points, the CCTV operation and the Police will reinforce the message to perpetrators that you will be prosecuted and any criminal or anti-social behaviour will be met with the full force of the law.”
And Judy Falp, Portfolio Holder for Health and Community Protection at WDC, said: “These call points offer a vital point of contact for the public to our 24/7 CCTV control room, allowing us to quickly react to incidents and liaise with partners to ensure the safety of our residents. I’m pleased to see more of these points installed, helping people feel safe when out and about in the District.”
Warwickshire PCC Philip Seccombe said: “Ensuring women and girls are not only safe but also feel safe in our town centres is vital. While our streets are in the main safe places to be, there are still areas where people feel vulnerable and we’ve been listening to the feedback from residents on where targeted interventions are needed. The new call points in Brunswick Street and Court Street provide an easy way for the public to ask for help should they need it, while also acting as a deterrent to perpetrators, who will realise that CCTV and police will quickly react to incidents. Along with the other measures being funded through our successful bid to the Government’s Safer Streets fund, this should provide reassurance that our streets and town centres are safe for everyone.”
Alongside the call points, Warwick has released a short demonstration film of how the points work in a given scenario. To view the video go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQJUcCQepHs.
