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Home Secretary Alan Johnson opens Salford's new £1.8 million CCTV system





Posted by Tony Flynn on 11th March 2010 at 03:58 PM
Home Secretary Alan Johnson opens Salford's new £1.8 million CCTV system
Home Secretary Alan Johnson was in Salford today to officially opened a new £1.8 million CCTV system.

Salford City Council's network is now one of the most advanced in the country with its 160 cameras upgraded to new digital technology, capable of capturing High Definition pictures.

Salford is also one of the first authorities in the country to use new multi-directional cameras, capable of seeing 360 degrees at any one time and tracking criminals automatically.

The Home Secretary was given a demonstration of the purpose-built central control room in action, where images are monitored around the clock and operators now have a direct connection to the police radio system.

The new system has the ability to link up with the police's own control room so officers there can view "live" pictures from the council's network.

Now, officers who need CCTV footage for evidence will be able to have better quality images from electronic files, rather than on video or DVD, and it will be much quicker for operators to access the images they need.

Last year, the city’s CCTV operators dealt with 2,900 incidents of crime and antisocial behaviour, with recorded footage directly assisting in 197 arrests.

The city council's system has won national awards and was the first in Greater Manchester to add loudspeakers to its cameras, enabling operators to warn people they were being observed.

This month, it earned the prestigious British Standard 7958 award for the way it is managed and operated, one of only five councils in the country to be recognised in this way by auditing body the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board.

Cllr David Lancaster, Salford City Council's lead member for community safety said: "It's a pleasure to welcome the Home Secretary to Salford and to be able to show him the work we do in the city to make our streets safer.

"We have a very advanced set-up in the city for tackling antisocial behaviour and crime and we'd like to think that we're leading the way for other towns and cities.

"The cameras are not about us watching citizens going about their daily routine, they are about us protecting our citizens in that daily routine.

"The Home Secretary will have been able to see for himself how our CCTV technology helps us to protect residents more effectively, reducing crime and making our city a safer place."

Chief Superintendent Kevin Mulligan from Salford Division said: "This new system will not only improve our service to the community, it will also develop our already strong working relationship with our partners at Salford City Council.

"CCTV has already proved a success and I am confident the new state-of-the-art equipment will assist us in keeping the streets safer."


Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Guest  15th March 2010
I'm sure any home security system, such as an alarm, just displaces crime too. If it displaces it away from me, then I'm pretty pleased with that.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Guest  15th March 2010
Perhaps the "judgemental idiots" would be more inclined to read City of Quartz if you said what it's about and how it relates to this. I could google it, but you're the one saying to read a book I've never heard of.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Guest  14th March 2010
read Mike Davis, City of Quartz -ignorant, judgemental idiots

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Guest  14th March 2010
...cameras do not deter crime, they merely displace it -at best, a wealth of academic evidence supports this.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Guest  12th March 2010
CCTV camera's are the best thing that hapened in Salford Cetral.Every scroat on the precient and the the Broadwalk know every step they take is monitored, by you know who,and trust me on this one, they've had some great results lately, so keep up the good work at you know where.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Guest  12th March 2010
Stop whinging, if you have done nowt wrong you have nowt to worry about, I personally welcome them, anything that deters crime is a good thing.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Guest  12th March 2010
I also take it Alan Johnson holds a SIA CCTV licence to entre that control room, i belive a Airwaves licence is also required as there are police radio's in there, but i bet the rules have been bent for one of the liberal ellite, i bet a normal member of public wouldnt get a demonstration of that system, and by rights we should after all we are the rate payers and that room belongs to us the tax payer.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Guest  12th March 2010
HAVE THE CAMERA'S NOW GOT INFARED? BECAUSE I DONT THINK THEY HAVE, TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY, BIG BROTHER BRITAIN - I THINK MORE BOBBYS ON THE BEAT WOULD BE A BETTER IDEA, AFTER ALL THIS IS WHAT WE PAY OUR TAX'S FOR

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Guest  12th March 2010
It's funny take clifton green where there is a camera situated.How many crimes where moted on cctv and how many offenders where caught?and waht was the cost.

Report as offensive or innapropriate Comment by Guest  11th March 2010
Misleading nonsense to justify a carceral city

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