CCTV

AWARD FOR ASSIST

by msecadm4921

CCTV operator Wayne Potter has been nominated for the national Sandie Smith Award for Excellence in the

Management and Operation of PSS & CCTV.

Wayne, is one of six Remploy Managed Services contract staff engaged by Bassetlaw Town Centre Partnership Trust since October 2003. They monitor 44 cameras across two market towns and one shopping precinct on 24/7 basis.

The efforts of Wayne and his colleagues have directly led to over 350 arrests in the last 12 months, Remploy reports, and the quality of the evidence collected has also led to an increased number of guilty pleas.

Formerly working in building and repairing computer systems, Wayne felt that his job was lacking a challenge, and was encouraged by the team leader at Bassetlaw to apply for a vacancy as a CCTV operator in October 2003. Wayne has achieved his BTEC Level 2 training in CCTV monitoring, having completed four days training with Tavcom training and is in the process of obtaining his SIA license for Public Space Surveillance. Wayne’s alertness and quick thinking has already won recognition and he has previously received a Divisional Commander’s Commendation from Chief Superintendent Richard Johnson of Bassetlaw, Newark and Sherwood Nottinghamshire Police. The award was presented in recognition of the role Wayne played in the apprehension and subsequent sentencing of a drug dealer in Bassetlaw. Wayne was monitoring the cameras when something caught his attention. 

 

He recalled: “You often notice someone’s body language and you learn to have an instinct for something that’s not quite right.” Wayne zoomed in and caught on camera the act of class A drugs and money being exchanged. Following this, he used his skills and knowledge to track the dealer to a bar in the town, and directed the police to enable them to arrest the suspect. Because of the quality of evidence obtained, the suspect admitted the offence and was charged with possession with intent to supply and supply of drugs. He was sentenced to eight months in prison. 

 

Wayne’s commendation read: “By expert use of the camera facilities you were able to capture evidence showing evidence showing the deal, the registration and a clear picture of the suspect.” It continued: “Your professionalism, tenacity and dedication to duty are commended.”

 

Jamey Middleton, Team Leader says: “Like all of the team, Wayne’s commitment to his job, his enthusiasm and professionalism continue to produce results and the award he received from the divisional commander highlights this. He is a credit to the team and, I feel, a worthy and deserving candidate for CCTV operator of the year.”

 

Tom Smith, Remploy’s National CCTV Manager, with responsibility for over 25 control rooms, adds: “We look for all our CCTV operators working in our many control rooms to display Wayne’s pro-active approach to the role of a CCTV operator. Our training and mentoring process is designed to give operators the confidence to go about their business in exactly the way that Wayne dealt with this very serious incident. His success is shared by our very effective team, very well supervised by Jamey Middleton and supported by our customer, Bassetlaw Town Centre Partnership Trust.”

 

Chairman of Bassetlaw Town Centre Partnership Trust Stewart Rickersey, managing director of Richland Media & Communications, praised the training and commitment of Wayne and his colleagues.

 

He said, “The directors and I really admire and appreciate ‘our’ operators. You see, we understand that even the best equipment in the world is worthless without a well-trained, dedicated and enthusiastic team operating it. We believe that, in addition to high quality and regular formal training, it is crucial for CCTV Operators undertaking public space surveillance to learn and become familiar with the natural rhythms of the areas they are monitoring, as this enables them to spot something that is out of sync, as Wayne did in this instance. Wayne, like all ‘our’ operators, has all the attributes of the first class PSS CCTV operator, including a high degree of manual dexterity and the hand-to-eye co-ordination essential to proficient camera skills and which produce useable recordings. He also demonstrated exceptional spatial awareness; remained calm at critical moments and proved that he could multi-task – event record, contact and report the situation to the police by telephone and radio, track the incident, report facts accurately and succinctly at the same time as continuing to monitor all the other cameras! All the operators deserve an award in our opinion. Over 350 arrests in the last 12 months have been directly attributed to their collective efforts. What is especially pleasing is that as their experience and camera skills improve, the quality of evidence gets even better which in turn seems to produce more guilty pleas, ultimately saving police and court time and public money. The operators’ efforts and in this instance, Wayne’s in particular, really make a tremendous impact on the community. These achievements only serve to raise public confidence in CCTV and further improve relationships, not only with the Police but also with Bassetlaw District Council from whom we gratefully receive an annual and sustaining grant.”

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