CCTV has now been installed in Gelligaer and Pantside in bid by Caerphilly Council to combat antisocial behaviour in those areas.
Cllr David Poole, cabinet member for community and leisure services, said: “I hope that the installation of these additional cameras will help increase levels of community reassurance across the area – CCTV continues to play a vital role in helping ensure that our county borough remains a safe place to live, work and visit.”
Council CCTV operators monitor more than 150 cameras 24/7 with the local authority claiming they are a “vital tool” against crime and antisocial behaviour.
Over the last year CCTV operators have monitored or dealt with a total of 2,326 incidents and have provided 985 DVDs of recorded evidence to Gwent Police. CCTV operators also received a total of 1,649 requests for monitoring from Gwent Police.
During that time eagle-eyed operators stopped the theft of lead from the roof of a primary school, tools from a business unit and also stopped three drug deals.
CCTV was also used effectively when a woman was seen unconscious at the rear of a public house in very cold weather.
Cllr Poole continued: “These a just a few examples of how effective CCTV is in combating crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour in our area, and residents should feel very reassured and safe in the knowledge that our dedicated team of CCTV operators are working day and night in order to help protect and improve our communities for the benefit of all.”
As well as monitoring over 150 CCTV cameras borough-wide, CCTV operators also have control of a series of ‘talking’ CCTV cameras, which enable them to issue a warning to people.
Help buttons linking straight to Caerphilly’s CCTV operators have also been installed at Blackwood bus station to aid passengers calling for help. The buttons, which are there to increase public safety, are located throughout the bus station and when pressed, CCTV cameras zoom in on the area and allow control room staff to talk to the person who presses the button, via an intercom system.
Much of the above waffle depends upon the cameras actively being monitored. Which is by no means always the case. In essence more often than not they are little more than a placebo.