Now I know BIG BROTHER IS watching.

[NRM_Oz]

As some of you may know, after the terrorist blasts in England, thousands of additional CCTV cameras were added in London to blanket the high risk areas with surveillance. I have just watched a US Police Video show episode and it showed a person dropping a cigarette butt and a verbal response from the CCTV operator along the lines of "the gentlemen in the dark suit and tie, could you return and pick up the cigarette butt please you dropped". It happened again on a kid who took a street sign and 2 idiots who jumped a bloke coming out of the late closing pub (bar). Police were able to apprehend them at the end of the street as they were followed by CCTV and told that the police were on their way.

[CameraMan]

Yesa, now we just need to hire 300,000 CCTV operators to monitor each camera full-time and nag people when they litter.

Cameras are not proactive. They are there as a deterent and for evidence when the deterent doesn't work.

[darkenna]

Cameras are not proactive. They are there as a deterent...

Is that not a proactive method?

[N. A. Corbier]

Its passive. The deterrence function only works for "we'll get caught," not "someone will stop us."

[CameraMan]

Is that not a proactive method?

Touche.

What I should have said was- cameras can help prevent crimes from being commited, and can help solve crimes, but cannot stop crimes in progress.

Speco has a camera that sounds an alarm at picture change, which is a little better than the two-way audio NRM_Oz mentioned, but people should understand the inherent limitations of cameras before they spend money on them.

[olivera]

my personal opinion is that CCTV without manned response is waste of money...
And if you will have 300.000 CCTV and operators you wont be able to respond,so it will be waste of money :) its better to send out on streets those 300.000 operators as manned deterrent :)

[NRM_Oz]

Even looking at a retail store and being conservative and saying ok we have 100 ptz and fixed cameras - you are going to need at least 2 f/t operators working to be of some response. Where I once worked, they amalgamated 3 stores (250 cameras) to 1.5 operators per shift (overlap of 4 hours) over 10 hours. Basically they cut out $100k US a year in additional operational costs plus the use of a 2nd controller desk.

[Nauticus]

CCTV cameras should be used in conjunction with enforcement methods, like uniformed security/loss prevention. They are used as a deterrant, but they are also tools to observe customers and potential suspects without being seen. They are extremely useful, if you know what you're doing.

[integrator97]

Speco has a camera that sounds an alarm at picture change, which is a little better than the two-way audio NRM_Oz mentioned, but people should understand the inherent limitations of cameras before they spend money on them.

That may work on an area that normally has no activity, but wouldn't do much on the streets and public areas.

[Rooney]

I agree that having 300,000 cameras with limited operators is not very beneficial. That is where video analytics come into play. If a person leaves a package next to a bench in front of a court house or in an airport, or a vehicle stops for a prolonged time in the wrong place, a person loitering at one point too long, etc.. It can give an alarm to the operators.

The cctv system in London did come into play after the fact in the bombing at the airport. They were able to backtrack the vehicles and perps to different locations. Which gave them some intel on stopping other attacks. CCTV systems are a good tool in situations like that. Unfortunately, it's after something happens.

[CameraMan]

The cctv system in London did come into play after the fact in the bombing at the airport. They were able to backtrack the vehicles and perps to different locations. Which gave them some intel on stopping other attacks. CCTV systems are a good tool in situations like that. Unfortunately, it's after something happens.

It helped solve the crime. It did not stop the crime from occuring. The only thing that can stop a crime from occuring is patrol presence.

[integrator97]

I often have to steer my clients. They call and want a cctv system, in case of burglary. I have to explain that the alarm system should come first, to prevent or limit loss. CCTV is after the fact. Evidence, and some deterrant. And in a simple burglary, the odds are if you don't recognize them, they probably won't get caught.

Now if they're worried about shoplifting, robbery, forgery or injury claims, that's different.