This month marks the 10th anniversary of the 7-7 London bombings, an event which shocked the nation. CCTV played an integral part in bringing those involved to justice and in the prevention of subsequent attacks. James Kelly, Chief Executive of the British Security Industry Association (BSIA) discusses the applications of CCTV surveillance for the protection of public spaces.
The UK has one of the highest concentrations of CCTV cameras in the world, with an estimated 5.9 million CCTV surveillance cameras in operation across the country. Roughly speaking, this equates to one CCTV camera for every eleven people living in the UK and the average Briton is recorded by about 70 cameras every day. CCTV is therefore one of the largest sectors within the security landscape and with the emergence of new technology such as Unmanned Aerial Drones and body-worn cameras, the sector is expected to continue to grow. Despite facing criticism in the past, CCTV continues to play a vital part in the fight against crime in public areas. Some people believe that the placement of cameras in public spaces is too invasive and encroaches on their privacy. However, there is no doubting the effectiveness of CCTV technology in protecting law abiding citizens.
Crime deterrence and detection
Surveillance in the form of CCTV can be beneficial in terms of both crime deterrence and detection. The placement of CCTV technology alongside visible signage can deter would be criminals from engaging in criminal activity for fear of evidence being recorded on camera. CCTV cameras are also unrivalled in their ability to gather real time intelligence – facilitating a speedy and informed response from the police. The ability for CCTV control room staff to track offenders using multiple cameras enables them to monitor their whereabouts and inform police in real time as they make their way to the site.
The real time monitoring of CCTV footage is also hugely beneficial in the management of large scale public events such as festivals, street parties, sporting events and concerts. These kinds of events result in a large increase in people flow, thus creating an increased risk of crime. Using real time video surveillance technology at public events helps to provide the best situational awareness so that security forces or police on the ground can be deployed most efficiently. Control room staff are able to see the bigger picture of situations as they arise and relay the information to officers on the ground. Tactically, having an overview of these types of events enables resources to be located and relocated as necessary to maximise safety in the most efficient way.
Evidence gathered using CCTV cameras is one of the most successful ways of securing convictions in court; criminals are much more likely to please guilty when faced by the undeniable evidence of being caught on camera. Using CCTV evidence to secure a conviction in court also serves to save money for the public purse. According to Hugh Marriage, former Home Office Crime Reduction Officer for the South-East of England, “A court hearing with a guilty verdict saves around £3,000 to £5,000 and CCTV pictures mean there has been an enormous increase in guilty verdicts.” Indeed, in 2010 alone, the Met Police stated that one in 6 crimes are solved thanks to CCTV solutions.
Protecting the public
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the 7-7 bombings in London in which 52 people were killed and more than 770 were injured. CCTV technology has played a significant role in preventing similar attacks and bringing those responsible for 7-7 to justice. In 2013, MPs were told that the police and security services had prevented as many as 34 terrorist incidents since the 7-7 attacks, including at least one or two per year that would have resulted in mass casualties . CCTV evidence gathered from failed terror attacks since 9-11 has been instrumental in the investigation of terrorist activity and has helped lead to 2877 arrests for terror offences. One such example comes from the failed attempt of 21-7 – just two weeks after the 7-7 incident. Nearly 28,000 CCTV recordings gathered by police helped lead to the convictions of four men, who were ultimately found guilty of conspiracy to murder. The footage was condensed into seven hours worth of recordings from buses, trains and stations, which was then used as evidence in court.
Thanks to increasingly more advanced CCTV technology, the application of CCTV solutions to combat terrorism is becoming ever more useful. One key area where CCTV is rapidly developing is that of video analytics. This impressive technology is invaluable in the protecting largely populated areas from the risk of terrorist attacks. One particularly useful application of video analytics in terms of public space surveillance is ‘object left/object removed’. ‘Object left’ refers to the identification of an unattended item such as a bag or package – potentially containing an explosive device. Often, making the assumption that an unattended package is malicious can cause panic and lead to a chaotic situation. It is therefore crucial for security professionals to make the assertion as to whether there is an innocent explanation or if the item is indeed malicious and requiring an immediate evacuation. ‘Object removed’ allows CCTV operators to be notified regarding the offending object, allowing for its removal and the restoration of public order.
High Definition (HD) CCTV is also expanding across a wide range of video surveillance applications. “HD CCTV signifies an unprecedented revolution in the quality of images that can be delivered, the ability to more easily identify suspects and make sense of their actions, and the potential to improve the successful conviction rate on the ground,” says Simon Adcock, Chairman of the BSIA’s CCTV section.
The importance of standards
On the current CCTV standards climate, Simon Adcock, says: “In 2012, the Protection of Freedoms Act formalised the Government’s intention to drive CCTV best practice forward. The CCTV Code of Practice – made up of 12 guiding principles – aimed to define best practice in a way wherein public protection was paramount. While the Code of Practice was undoubtedly a ‘step in the right direction’, it is flawed.
“Presently, the Code of Practice only extends to publicly-owned systems. However, the private sector is a key player in the CCTV arena; only one out of every seventy CCTV cameras currently in use are publicly owned according to BSIA research released last year. That is, the majority of CCTV cameras in the UK are privately owned and, as such, do not fall under the remit of the current code of practice dictated by government. Indeed, the very definition of what constitutes a ‘public’ camera is also rather ambiguous as the BSIA’s report entitled The Picture is Not Clear: How many CCTV surveillance cameras in the UK, points out. “A definition of ‘public’ is difficult to determine. Whilst a camera mounted on a pole in the centre of a high street would probably be considered ‘public’, what would the opinion be of one mounted in an entrance corridor to a school? If a camera watching merchandise in a shop views only the interior of the shop, is this also a public area, and would that opinion be different if the view included the pavement outside the window?
“Logically, the next step for the current CCTV Code of Practice is the application of its twelve guiding principles to cover privately-owned systems. Not only do they form the majority of CCTV coverage in the UK, they are also responsible for providing significant evidence to police.”
With so much riding on the integrity of privately-owned cameras, it is important that standards and best practice guidelines are extended to cater for them. The major benefits of CCTV surveillance in public areas for law-abiding citizens are plain to see, and for the majority of the general public, CCTV is a welcome feature of the urban landscape. As well as ensuring the safety of the general public on a day to day basis, CCTV presents an assurance that in the event of them falling victim to opportunist criminals, the likelihood of those responsible being convicted is much more likely.
CCTV is one of the most important developments in the security landscape of recent years and maintains a pivotal role in the safety and security of public space. The success of any system requires a diligent approach to planning, design, installation, maintenance and operation, as well as the use of high quality products. Members of the BSIA’s CCTV section are experts in the CCTV arena and are committed to developing and sharing best practice to drive up standards in the industry.
For more about the BSIA and its CCTV section, visit www.bsia.co.uk.
