Interviews

Camera strategy consultation

by Mark Rowe

The Surveillance Camera Commissioner Tony Porter has launched a consultation on a draft national surveillance camera strategy for England and Wales.

The aim; to provide direction and leadership to surveillance camera makers, installers and users; to enable the system operators to understand best practice and their legal obligations (such as those contained within the Data Protection Act and the Private Security Industry Act, for those that contract out public space monitoring). It also aims to enable surveillance camera firms and users to show compliance with the principles of the surveillance camera code of practice and other guidance.

The commissioner’s vision is to assure the public that surveillance cameras in public places (and that includes besides fixed CCTV, body-worn video, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) and unmanned aerial vehicles) are there to keep and make them feel safe, and that those cameras are deployed and used responsibly, as well as transparently, in a manner which is proportionate to their legitimate purpose.

The strategy has been divided into ten key work strands. Objectives have been developed for each strand with a supporting delivery plan setting out specific actions and outputs, which contribute towards achieving the strategic mission. Delivery plans will be completed and published in 2017.

The commissioner is consulting on the draft strategy for six weeks – that is, to December 6 – and people can respond to the consultation via the Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s website. A response to this consultation exercise is due to be published by April 2017.

Tony Porter said: “This draft strategy has been ten months in development – I’ve been working with a group of industry experts to get it into shape and now we are ready to consult on it. I welcome views from anyone whether they are an expert in the industry or a member of the public – the strategy is designed to benefit them – so their input will be invaluable to making sure it meets their needs when we begin work on delivering its objectives in 2017.”

He last week visited the head office of Marks & Spencer to present the high street retailer with its voluntary surveillance camera certification, a first for the retail sector. More in the December 2016 print issue of Professional Security magazine.

Pictured by Mark Rowe; CCTV camera, University of London campus, Bloomsbury.

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