CCTV
Police attitudes to CCTV
This report describes the findings of research conducted in 2003 about police views on CCTV. It draws on the views of more than 250 officers in 33 police forces.
Title: Police attitudes to and use of CCTV
Author: Tom Levesley, Amanda Martin (Home Office)
Series: Home Office on-line report 09/05
Date published: February 2005
Number of pages: 32
Availability: Download full report 
PDF 214Kb
Police officers regarded CCTV highly and used it regularly in everyday policing. It was used extensively in town centres, to moitor public order offences, theft and assault. Images were seized regularly on a weekly or daily basis to identify offenders and witnesses, to approve or disprove alibis and for evidence in trials.
CCTV enabled officers to be deployed more effectively, as monitoring incidents allowed police to intervene quickly and stop incidents escalating. It also provided guidance for officers on the scene. Officers did however have mixed views on whether or not CCTV actually deterred potential offenders, particularly where alcohol was involved.
Police believed CCTV to be a cost-effective tool, that speeded up investigations and encouraged offenders to plead guilty, saving police and court time. Retrieving and searching through footage inevitably increased the police workload, but officers felt the benefits of CCTV were worth it. Many felt that the CCTV operators and other civilian staff could do more to assist with the evidence–gathering procedure.
Police offices pointed out that poor image quality and equipment had an impact on the time taken to obtain the correct footage and in some instances prevent it from being obtained at all. This especially seems to be a problem amongst private CCTV schemes.
Good communication is required between police and CCTV operators to ensure an effective use of CCTV. Having skilled operators and the recruitment of well-trained and experienced operators was thought to be a key part of a successful CCTV scheme.
The few drawbacks of CCTV identified were the issue of time demands on officers and perhaps an increase in the public's expectations. However, many officers did point out areas where improvements to processes, systems or equipment could increase its effective use. These were often local management, staffing or technical issues.
Last update: Thursday, September 21, 2006