Public Open Space Surveillance Camera consultation
This year (2018) sees the 20th anniversary of the introduction of council operated public open space CCTV cameras across the county borough.
The scheme started back in 1998 with 11 cameras in Caerphilly and has expanded over the past 20 years to its current operation of 150+ cameras covering towns and villages across the whole area.
In addition there are over 500 cameras covering our schools, depots and other council owned premises. The CCTV team consists of 16 members of staff who keep constant watch 24/7 over our town centres and neighbourhoods.
These ‘eyes in the sky’ help keep a close watch over our communities and play a significant role in helping to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour,
Back in 1998 the cameras were not so hi-tech as they are today and VHS tapes were used to capture footage - with over 1000 tapes being used in one month via 16 video recorders. Thankfully today we use digital technology with hard drive recorders to store the footage.
Since digitalisation in 2007 we have monitored over 40,000 incidents, providing 11,000 DVDs for Gwent Police and operated the cameras over 3.5million times.
The council has been accredited by the NSI for Management and Operation of a CCTV Control Room since 2004 maintaining its Silver Award and in 2016 became one of the first authorities in Wales to achieve the Full Certificate of Compliance to the Surveillance Camera Commissioners Code of Practice.
The council is interested in your views on public open space CCTV and would appreciate if you could complete a questionnaire.
For further information please go to the CCTV section.