Community Crime Prevention
CCTV in Victoria
A Guide to Developing CCTV in Victoria
Presenter: Simon Walker
Title:
Senior Policy Officer
Date:
13 November 2012
Community Crime Prevention
Aim & Guiding Principles
 Aim: assist councils to address local safety issues
 Informed by: VLRC’s Report into Surveillance in Public
Places
 VLRC’s 7 guiding principles: balance safety against the
protection of privacy
 Guide to be read in conjunction with:
 Office of the Victorian Privacy Commissioner’s- Surveillance &
Privacy Info Sheet 03.12
 Victorian Ombudsman’s, Closed Circuit Television in Public Places
Guidelines.
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Community Crime Prevention
Implementing & Evaluating CCTV
7 steps for
implementing &
evaluating CCTV
Evaluation
Responsible
management
Best CCTV
system
Consultation
Establish
working
group
CCTV &
your safety
strategy
Assigning
objectives
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Community Crime Prevention
Step 1. Establishing a Working Group
Get advice from different perspectives:
 Victoria Police
 Researchers & crime prevention strategists
 Finance officers
 Urban planners
 Traders
 Local community groups (e.g. youth, seniors, indigenous
or cultural groups).
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Community Crime Prevention
Step 2. CCTV & your Safety Strategy
Conduct research:
 Consider results of similar projects
 Gather crime statistics on:
 types of crime (e.g. property crime, theft from cars)
 costs relative to the problem
 when crime occurs
 where crime occur
 Make the decision to proceed
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Community Crime Prevention
Step 3. Assign clear objectives
 Consider VLRC guiding principles
 Set clear objectives to:
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deter potential offenders
reduce fear of crime
help ensure an effective police response in emergency situations
assist in the detection and prosecution of offenders and
help secure a safer environment.
 CCTV in combination with other strategies:
 increased lighting
 urban design
 greater security.
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Community Crime Prevention
Step 4. Consult with people
 Consult a representative selection of community
 Methods of consultation may include:
 public meetings
 questionnaires & mail outs
 posters
 media
 website information.
 Show evidence of planning
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 identify problems & objectives
 estimates of cost
 proposed placement
 avenues for public enquiry.
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complaints processes
consult utility companies
evaluation processes
relationship - police & council
Community Crime Prevention
Step 5. The best CCTV system
 Finding a consultant:
 ASIAL provides a free service to identify CCTV installation
companies www.asial.com.au
 Technical considerations:
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pan, tilt and zoom capability
image quality (quality sufficient as evidence)
transmission of images
monitoring (control room location)
recording and image retrieval.
 Consultant may also assist by advising on:
 best location for cameras
 financial considerations.
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Community Crime Prevention
Step 6. Management of CCTV systems
 Data management is critical
 Standard Operating Procedures:
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Principles of management
Procedures
Personnel
Control room design
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Incident response
Privacy & disclosure
Management of recorded material
Documentation, licences and signage.
 Code of Conduct:
 Scope of responsibilities for staff
 Principles for management of the system
 Work procedures for staff.
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Community Crime Prevention
Step 7. Evaluate your CCTV system
 It is critical to ensure:
 greater evidence base on effectiveness of CCTV
 public accountability
 public confidence in the use of CCTV.
 Evaluation should consider:
 objectives
 outcomes
 public confidence
 project management
 operations.
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Community Crime Prevention
Key Messages
It is critical to consider the following:
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public consultation
consultation with Victoria Police
evidence of need & objectives of the CCTV system
conscientious management & design
comprehensive evaluation
 the sustainability of the system.
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Community Crime Prevention
Questions?