Candid camera
Like them or loathe them, CCTV systems are here to stay.
In the run-up to the start of the new licensing regime last November, a sudden spurt in demand demonstrated the need to satisfy one of the Act's objectives - reduction of alcohol-induced disorderly behaviour.
And demand has grown steadily as continuous improvement in digital video recorders (DVRs) and falling technology costs make an impact, claims Cricklewood Electronics director Chris Grocott.
Camera Tech Solutions (CTS) managing director David Brown agrees: "Demand has increased with improved, user-friendly digital technology, which offers higher picture quality and doesn't need data protection.
"Tapes for analogue systems need changing daily and replacing every three months, and evidence storage bays are vital. But on digital systems, recordings are stored on the hard drive and images of any incident can be burned onto a disk, which is acceptable under the Police & Criminal Evidence Act."
Professional support
CTS runs an installation service and only uses contractors registered with two accreditation schemes - the Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board (SSAIB), a specialist certification body for providers of electronic security systems, and SAFEcontractor which assesses contractors' health and safety competence.
Brown says installation of an eight-camera system takes a couple of days and includes advice on correct type, viewing angles, recording speed and the best cable routes for the pub.
Wolverhampton-based Securvision owner Surinder Bains suggests qualified installation: "Using a professional service has many benefits, including 12 months' on-site warranty and an experienced contractor able to select the best equipment for the job."
Spy Shop proprietor Peter Degg, whose firm runs an on-line ordering service, says many licensees prefer to install equipment themselves or employ a local electrician.
He says: "Many people upgrading analogue systems to digital can use existing cables to install a new camera within a few minutes."
Degg says more customers are opting for
internet-accessible DVRs that enable operators to see what's happening while absent from premises. "They can keep an eye on door supervisors' movements, for example - and staff who know they're on camera stay more alert."
He adds that equipment has become highly sophisticated: "Some alarm systems can contact a mobile phone as soon as they're triggered, and an operator can check events via CCTV by logging on to the internet before risking going downstairs or entering premises."
In this fast-moving industry, Grocott says the current norm for DVR hard-drive capacity is 160 gigabytes (GB), which can store up to two weeks' footage, depending on the number and recording speed of cameras, and whether recording is continuous or motion-detected.
"By the end of the year, we'll see hard drives with a capacity of 1,000GB," Grocott predicts.
sharpen the focus
Care must be taken to choose the correct type of camera. CTS managing director David Brown says: "For dark areas, only a low-light level camera will produce quality images."
Securvision owner Surinder Bains says: "Selecting the correct lens is critical to achieving the angle and quality of view - for example, a lens with longer focal length can be used at
doorways to ensure good facial recognition of people going into a pub. It's important to choose a camera and location that enable good recognition of a potential culprit's physical features."
Spy Shop proprietor Peter Degg warns: "It's useless to fit a camera with a 15m focal length if the car park is 100m long." Equipment record at different speeds, so Brown advises "setting cameras in sensitive areas - such as cash tills - to run at 25 frames per second (fps); for general areas, a slower speed of 15 fps is good enough."
Facts and stats
The first CCTV system was developed in 1942 in Germany for a test-firing programme for deadly V2 rockets.
Britain has the world's highest level of surveillance. By 2002, one camera for every 15 people was in use - a total of 4m cameras.
Today in London, a person is likely to be caught on camera 300 times a day.
The "Big Brother" syndrome means that computer-based facial recognition systems can identify or track individuals' movement, similar to vehicle registration number-plate software used in congestion-charge zones.
Software systems have also been
developed to highlight unusual behavioural patterns, such as loitering or acting oddly. Advocates claim systems have the ability to identify likely fights, robberies and even suicide attempts before they happen.
In Middlesbrough this month, seven CCTV cameras fitted with loudspeakers enabled town-centre management control-room staff to broadcast warnings to people observed acting irresponsibly.
