Contact: Adrian Baxter, Partnership Inspector Tel: 020 8583 2465 E-Mail: Adrian.Baxter@hounslow.gov.uk Influencing the 3 Year Crime Strategy – Provision of Mobile Controllable Pro-active CCTV System Chiswick Area Monitoring Committee 12 December 2007 deferred from 31 October 2007 Isleworth and Brentford Area Monitoring Committee 8 November 2007 Report by: Inspector Adrian Baxter, Partnership Inspector, and Community Safety Unit. SUMMARY: This report will outline proposals for the provision of a mobile controllable proactive CCTV system. The report will explore the provision of a wireless network and 80 cameras operating throughout the borough. 1.00 Recommendations: That members note the contents of the report 1.1 1.2 That members advise of the support or otherwise for the proposals of spend contained in the report 1.3 That member’ agree to provide a one off payment to set the project up, from each of the area committees, of £30,000 - £70,000. 2.00 Background: Borough Strategy The 3-year crime reduction strategy is to reduce crime and the fear of crime. This would be a major step forward to assisting deliver this strategy, supporting the thematic stakeholders (ASB0 as well as the geographic stakeholders (Police sectors visa the sector plans). These sector plans have been tabled at AC and are a ‘living document’ that the AC can influence, receive quarterly reports on progress and fund new initiatives. The Current System • The Borough currently owns 20 ‘DomeHawk’ cameras. • Theses cameras are a reactive tool that record on a 72 hour loop • The cameras are moved bi weekly. • Hounslow Town centre has enjoyed great success with CCTV systems to reduce crime and fear of crime. • Turnham Green railway station has a newly installed system that has reduced street crime to zero and reduced all other crime since going live.
The Proposed System • To have a mobile controllable proactive CCTV system, based on a wireless network. Each area committee will have 4 dedicated cameras • These cameras would remain in the area committee area and subject to an SLA. They would be part of a partnership system, in conjunction with the existing portable system operated by street management (10 cameras) and the 80 (approx) cameras that parking enforcement will own. All cameras will be available to The Police when not in use by the parent agency or in times of emergency. • The cameras record continuously for 28 days. • There is a review station based at Hounslow Police Station to enable Police to review all images from the Station • The cameras will be monitored 24/7 by the Police Control Room at Hounslow Police Station from a purpose built control station complete with touch screen controls, plasma screens and an override facility for other partner cameras (parking enforcement, street management) Benefits • Completely mobile controllable recording system • Will be moved to areas as mini hotspots appear/displacement. • Hounslow Police has a squad of officers to react to this type of tactical option. • Wireless system that means that the cameras can be controlled from more than one control room • When not being used proactively, they will be still be recording, and information is stored for 28 days. • Once the incident / situation has been dealt with in that area, cameras would be removed and placed in next required area 3.00 Difficulties Current Costs An effective though expensive system has already been purchased. The outlay that is supported by the Community Safety Team was £90,000. The upgrade of these cameras, and increase in numbers provided is expensive. Current Provision Hounslow, Heston and Cranford and Feltham Area Committee’s have set aside money to go into this Borough wide initiative. If all other 5-area committees agree in principle and will allocate funds in the future, the project can go ahead and progress the project in phases. 4.00 Projected Costs 1. Funding Secured I have secured the following funding. • £50K MPA money • £90K initial investment • £15K Partnership funds (re directed from existing project) • Three area committee contributions. • Parking Enforcement
2. Funding Required. 1. A one off payment from each area committee to set the project up is requested, of between £30,000 - £70,000. 2. £5,000 per year to cover the costs of licence, movement costs, repairs / insurance etc. This is a ‘wish list’ item. I understand that a yearly agreement might be difficult to obtain. On the relevant funding has been agreed each of the five Area Committee’s would receive the following - • 4 cameras, with a proactive capability dedicated to their area. • Agreement that the cameras could be borrowed on a short-term basis from one area to be placed in another, if an incident of sufficient seriousness occurs. • Access to other partners camera systems when not being used. • Review facilities at the Police Station • 24/7 monitoring from the Police Control room Ownership The cameras will be a Borough resource. All participants agreeing use of cameras will sign an SLA. Benefits 1. Crime Hotspots. We have three perennial burglary hot spots. The Police burglary/crime squads to target these residential hotspots could use these cameras. Once crime is dealt with / displaced, cameras removed (hot spot areas Heston Chiswick High road Feltham) 2. Anti Social Behaviour. Cameras have an obvious effect on all types of ASB, as identification of offenders is always a problem. The cameras would not only assist in identification, but would reduce the need to obtain witness statements, which are always very difficult owing fears of reprisals. 3. Graffiti As we identify areas targeted by graffiti artists, Street management and the Police safer Neighbourhood Teams could work together to target these areas. 4. Fly tipping Working with trading standards/street management use the cameras to target commonly used areas for fly tipping. Arrest at scene rather than investigate from rubbish recovered. 5. Medium level ASB/crime Situations on housing estates, where evidence is required, motorcycles on the footway and problems with groups of youth gathering. These could be monitored proactively if required, Reactively for reports 6. Low-level ASB (HH estates) Youths gathering in identified areas causing nuisance by noise/presence. Use cameras to direct Police/Wardens/PCSO to deal with immediately. Alternatively to record behaviour to support dispersal orders ASBO/ABC’s on identified individuals.
7. Subways If we continue to experience problems with getting CCTV fitted to subways, this system could be used intermittently on subways of high incidents. 8. Displacement of crime. There is a displacement issue with all types of CCTV systems. A portable proactive system, as proposed, would address many of these problems. It could deal with displaced crime by targeting these areas when repositioned. • Financial Comments • Equality Implications The provision of CCTV cameras would improve the general sense of wellbeing amongst residents in the Borough. CCTV cameras used effectively, together with the deployment of police officers, would help prevent crime and the fear of crime. Cameras placed at the access points to underpasses, for example, would deter criminal behaviour as well as reassuring those using the system. This would impact particularly on the vulnerable, those requiring wheelchairs or parents with prams, as they use these subways, which have ramped access as well as stairs. 5.0 Comments of the Director of Finance: 5.1 The Partnership Inspector has had initial discussions of the proposal at the Area Committee Chair and Vice Chair Coordination Meeting. The issue was sympathetically received and seen as clearly tackling a range of the Executive Business Plan key priorities. 5.2 The revenue operating cost of the project will principally be met from Police budgets and it is the capital acquisition cost area where funding is required. The Partnership Inspector has secured some external funding for this cost and will report at the meeting on the exact commitments to date. However, there is a funding shortfall, again which he will report to the meeting, but this could be met from capital budget/ Section 106 funds of the Area Committees. A contribution to the capital cost of the scheme would give an Area Committee involvement in the running of the project and the use of the equipment in their area. 5.3 Clearly, budgets must be identified before expenditure is committed and expenditure must be contained within these budgets. Background Papers: Borough 3-year Crime Strategy. This report has been or is due to be considered by: Chiswick and Isleworth and Brentford Area Committees All Wards
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