CCTV Cameras are Changing Our Public Spaces

Using a CCTV system in a public space is common these days, of course, and we’ve all become used to seeing a number of cameras in parks, high streets, plazas and elsewhere in the UK. Britain has a high number of cameras when compared with other countries, although contemporary reports suggest there are proportionately more in China, the USA and Germany.

For most of us, there’s a perception that CCTV cameras are used just for tracking or catching criminals and terrorists, but this is only ever going to be part of a much bigger picture. They’re often sited in crime hot-spots, after all, and the images they record are regularly used in court cases to help with the prosecution of wrong-doers in towns and cities right across the country.

There are other reasons to have CCTV surveillance, however. Images have regularly been used to ascertain blame in motor accidents, for example, a particularly useful function when both drivers are accusing the other of carelessness. Another good reason to have them, albeit a little more abstract one, is that they provide reassurance to people coming into the area.

Over the years, CCTV cameras have proved vital in the search for missing persons. If someone goes missing in the centre of a city in the UK, the chances are that a great many camera images will be utilised in a bid to plot the movements of that individual before they seemingly disappeared. It’s often the case that such pictures are the strongest lead that the authorities have.

Cameras can often be used to maintain safe and effective crowd control at a major sporting event, too. Thousands and thousands of spectators leaving Hampden Park or Murrayfield may not even realise that their route out of the stadium and through the surrounding streets will have been planned in advance, and will be monitored to make sure everyone is able to leave without incident.

Needless to say, CCTV monitoring and surveillance equipment has become a must-have for owners and managers of large industrial facilities as well. Maintaining safe entry and exit from certain areas, often with the help of access control systems, can be vital, especially if there are hazardous substances being used or stored. More and more commercial organisations have embraced CCTV technology in recent years.

If your location could be improved with effective surveillance and monitoring, a call to Webster Security & Fire is all you need to start the process. Our team supply, install and maintain state of the art equipment for commercial locations all over North and Central Scotland, so call 01382 330 606 today to find out more.