Hello all My response to the latest google group conversation about CCTV cameras! I listened with incredulity to the claims made by JP Smith on Cape Talk at lunchtime today!
Unless I see some evidence that the 7 existing Cyclops cameras (in Obs) are effective in (a) preventing crime, and (b) leading to the arrest of perpetrators of crime, I will certainly not be contributing money for CCTV cameras. Could our reps on the CPF ask for recent statistics? In June 2010, after many emails, I managed to extract the folowing stats from Robert Young, then head of the Metro Police: Strategic Surveillance Unit Incident Detail Report Date From: 1/1/2010 Date To: 2/6/2010 Region: West Area: Woodstock Crime 26 Non-Crime 76 Arrests 0 Total Incidents 102 Responses Ambulance 1 CID 45 Law Enforcement 1 SAPS 42 Traffic Dept. 9 Total Responses 98 NOTE THAT THESE STATS COVERED ALL THE CAMERAS IN THE WOODSTOCK PRECINCT - not just the 7 cameras in Obs. You will notice that in six months the cameras only picked up only 26 crime-related incidents, and that NO arrests were made. I.E. The cameras were EXTREMELY INEFFECTIVE at detecting or preventing crime. I spent two years attending ONW and SEctor 1 meetings with Woodstock SAPS, and during this time never heard any positive feedback about the cameras from SAPS. Responding to these incidents seems to have been a waste of police time and resources. I will of course, be very happy to be proved wrong -- if someone can provide some recent stats. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "The Observatory Neighbourhood watch" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/obsnw?hl=en.
