CCTV Is Working!

There has been quite a controversy raging about the effectiveness of the CCTV systems on Ashmore Park Shopping Parade that has been debated throughout the Autumn and into the Winter.

Councillor Phil Bateman said today “I have been in contact with the City Council and I want to make it very clear to everyone that the CCTV camera system in operation at Ashmore Park Shopping Parade does work!

The cameras are operated under a service level agreement between the Police and the City Councils Home Sale & Lease department and the 24 hour control centre where the monitors are housed.

The cameras can be programmed by the operators to focus on agreed priorities and trouble spots on the Parade. The Police notify Senior Managers at the Control Centre when they need to use the system. Local residents and the shop proprietors can also influence the positioning of the cameras if agreed by the Police and the local housing office.

The City Council have been speaking with the Police and the views of the Police is that the cameras are doing their job and proving to be a fine deterrent to potential criminals and to those involve in Anti social behaviour.

So the message is a clear one both to residents and those up to no good. The CCTV system is working it has a 24 hour coverage and the Police and the monitors are bound into Service Level Agreements.

I do hope that this information is used to quell those people who doubted that the system was working!”

CCTV systems do have a calming effect on areas where they are located. West Midlands Police do have access to the tapes at this location and take active advantage of this when required.

Councillor Bateman will be contacting City Officials again in the new year to actively follow up the policy development that is required to keep the system co-ordinated and focussed.