CCTV: A GUIDE FOR LICENSEES

Transcription

1 CCTV: A GUIDE FOR LICENSEES Produced by the Thames Valley Police Licensing Team September 2011 Sponsored by

2 C o n t e n t s introduction 3 page operational requirement 3 camera positioning 3 image quality 4 maintenance 5 availability 5 signage 6 data protection 6 useful links and contacts 7 police contacts 7 2

3 i n t r o d u c t i o n Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) systems are sometimes a contentious issue from a civil rights perspective, but noone can argue that significant benefits can be realised from properly installing a decent system it can be an effective deterrent against crime and anti-social behaviour as well as increasing the chances of bringing offenders to justice. This document draws together just some of the advice and guidance that is available to assist you in making decisions about if and how you should make the best use of CCTV. The O p e r a t i o n a l R e q u i r e m e n t A vital first step is to establish exactly what it is you would want a CCTV system to achieve known as the operational requirement and there are three main considerations: What issues do you want to address with CCTV? For example, is it to deter and detect crime in specific areas? Different characteristics, including camera positioning and image quality, will influence the effectiveness of your system. What is realistic? Some issues may be difficult to address with CCTV, and some premises may not easily lend themselves physically to suitable CCTV coverage. What is cost effective? CCTV is unlikely to be a cheap solution, so clearly any costs need to be balanced with your needs. Having a clear understanding of your operational requirement will greatly assist your CCTV installer in giving you what you actually need and expect. You should also think about other considerations such as whether you are likely to want to expand the system in future (additional cameras etc), and whether you will be doing the recording on site (which requires a secure, well ventilated room). C a m e r a p o s i t i o n i n g Your CCTV installer should be able to advise you further, but essentially the positioning of the cameras should reflect your operational requirement and should respect the privacy of your customers and staff. A significant consideration is that of lighting, which needs to be good enough to ensure a good quality image. Areas with low lighting levels such as dance floors - are not conducive to good quality recordings, although the use of Infra Red cameras and light sources improve matters considerably. Something else to watch out for is that cameras that point towards the windows or external doors can struggle in bright daylight, as a camera will adjust to the external light levels and the interior will appear very dark on screen. 3

4 I m a g e Q u a l i t y Image quality will be entirely dependent upon your operational requirement. For example, a camera that is in use to spot a problem in a club, simply so that security staff can be deployed to deal with it, will not need to be of as high a quality as a camera which is used to identify and prosecute those involved. As a general rule, there are four levels of image quality, assuming that the camera is in full working order and set up appropriately. Detection Quality 10% Detection quality views a large area at a range where a person will fill about 10% of the image height. You can see that a person or a vehicle is moving, but you would not be able to see what that person is doing, or read the vehicle s number plate. It is of no use on its own for the purposes of criminal investigations or evidence and would need an operator to zoom in on activity. Observe Quality 25% With Observe quality images, a person fills about 25% of the image height. You can see a person s movements and recognise some actions, such as throwing a brick, but would not be able to make out details such as using a screwdriver to break into a car, or identifying someone s sex. It would help to support a witness account and confirm that illegal activity has occurred. Recognition Quality 50% In recognition quality images, a person will fill 50% of the image height. It will help with the identification of a suspect, but only by somebody who knows the individual, such as their family and friends, or other people who have had regular dealings with them. This is unlikely to be of use in court in evidential terms on its own, but in conjunction with other evidence it can be very helpful. Identification Quality 100% Identification quality is the best, with a person filling at least 100% of the image height. You will be able to identify the person beyond reasonable doubt, which makes it sufficient to stand up as evidence on its own in court. This is best used at entrance and exit points of the premises. 4

5 M a i n t e n a n c e There is little point in having a CCTV system installed if it is not properly maintained and fit for purpose, if for no other reason than to ensure the system s ongoing cost effectiveness. Once the system is installed, it should be checked regularly to ensure that, amongst other things: the camera lenses are clean the cameras are still pointing where they should be the date and time displayed is correct there is no image distortion or blurring the system is recording properly Av a i l a b i l i t y The availability of your CCTV footage to the police can be vital in the successful investigation of offences which may occur on or outside your premises. Essentially, there are two main reasons for the police needing access to your system: To inform action CCTV footage can be extremely helpful to officers who are dealing with incidents to assist them in deciding how best to resolve the situation, without having to rely solely on eyewitness accounts. For example, if a fight were to occur on your premises, CCTV would allow officers to more readily identify the specific offences and, importantly, those who are responsible. To gather evidence As any investigation progresses, a copy of the CCTV footage is likely to be needed to assist in that investigation and any subsequent legal proceedings. Your CCTV system is only of use in the above situations if you have the staff members on site who can make use of it. The police are unlikely to require immediate downloading of the footage (although, in the interests of efficiency, that would be helpful!), so it would not normally be necessary to have staff capable of doing that on the premises at all times. The importance of being able to review the footage immediately on site cannot be overstated though and having a suitably trained member of staff present to do this would be highly beneficial. 5

6 S i g n a g e To be fair particularly if your CCTV cameras are fairly discrete as well as lawful, your staff and customers have a right to know that they are in a surveillance zone, which can be achieved by posting appropriate signage. Signs should be placed, in clear view, in the vicinity of the cameras and should include the following: the presence of CCTV cameras the purpose of the cameras who owns or operates the cameras and their contact number d a t a p r o t e c t i o n The Data Protection Act 1998 regulates the use of CCTV. Its importance should not be under-estimated and if you have a CCTV system then you must comply with the requirements of the Act. This includes notifying the Office of the Information Commissioner ( that you have the system and registering it with them. There is a Code of Practice for CCTV also available from the Information Commissioner s website - which deals with system compliance and privacy issues. It aims to ensure that your CCTV system fits the purpose for which it is intended and is legal. 6

7 u s e f u l l i n k s a n d c o n t a c t s Tel: CCTV In Focus is a Home Office-approved, independent firm who can assist you with the planning of a new system, or testing and improving an existing one. Home Office published guidance on establishing your operational requirement. Home Office published guidance on what the police need from your digital CCTV system. The website of the Information Commissioner, who can advise on all matters relating to your CCTV system and the Data Protection Act. p o l i c e c o n t a c t s Thames Valley Police Licensing Team Thames Valley Police HQ South, Oxford Road, Kidlington, Oxon OX5 2NX licensing@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk 101 (Thames Valley Police non-emergency number) 7

8 8