CCTV boom 'failing to cut crime'
A CCTV database is being piloted to track offenders
Huge investment in closed-circuit TV technology has failed to cut UK crime, a senior police officer has warned.
Det Ch Insp Mike Neville said the system was an "utter fiasco" - with only 3% of London's street robberies being solved using security cameras.
Although Britain had more cameras than any other European country, he said "no thought" had gone into how to use them.
Det Ch Insp Neville heads a unit which is piloting a new database to track offenders using CCTV.
Speaking at the Security Document World Conference in London, Det Ch Insp Neville, the head of the Met's Visual Images, Identifications and Detections Office (Viido), said one of the problems was that criminals were not afraid of cameras.
There's no fear of CCTV. Why don't people fear it? [They think] the cameras are not working
Det Ch Insp Mike Neville
Metropolitan Police
He also said more training was needed for officers who often avoided trawling through CCTV images "because it's hard work".
"CCTV was originally seen as a preventative measure," the Guardian quotes him as saying.
"Billions of pounds has been spent on kit, but no thought has gone into how the police are going to use the images and how they will be used in court. It's been an utter fiasco: only 3% of crimes were solved by CCTV.
"There's no fear of CCTV. Why don't people fear it? [They think] the cameras are not working."
New database
CCTV operators also needed more feedback to ensure they felt "valued", he said.
Det Ch Insp Neville's unit is now piloting a new database of CCTV images which police hope will help track and identify offenders.
If criminals see that CCTV works they are less likely to commit crimes
Det Ch Insp Mike Neville
Metropolitan Police
The unit is also looking at ways of using software which can follow distinctive brand logos on the clothing of unidentified suspects.
In addition, from next month, his team will be putting images of suspects in muggings, rape and robbery cases on the internet.
"If criminals see that CCTV works they are less likely to commit crimes," Det Ch Insp Neville added.
There are more than 4.2 million cameras in the UK, but until Viido was set up in September 2006 there had been no dedicated police unit to deal with the collection and dissemination of CCTV evidence.
If Viido, based at Southwark Police Station, is judged to be a success it could lead to the development of specialist CCTV units across the country.
A CCTV database is being piloted to track offenders
Huge investment in closed-circuit TV technology has failed to cut UK crime, a senior police officer has warned.
Det Ch Insp Mike Neville said the system was an "utter fiasco" - with only 3% of London's street robberies being solved using security cameras.
Although Britain had more cameras than any other European country, he said "no thought" had gone into how to use them.
Det Ch Insp Neville heads a unit which is piloting a new database to track offenders using CCTV.
Speaking at the Security Document World Conference in London, Det Ch Insp Neville, the head of the Met's Visual Images, Identifications and Detections Office (Viido), said one of the problems was that criminals were not afraid of cameras.
There's no fear of CCTV. Why don't people fear it? [They think] the cameras are not working
Det Ch Insp Mike Neville
Metropolitan Police
He also said more training was needed for officers who often avoided trawling through CCTV images "because it's hard work".
"CCTV was originally seen as a preventative measure," the Guardian quotes him as saying.
"Billions of pounds has been spent on kit, but no thought has gone into how the police are going to use the images and how they will be used in court. It's been an utter fiasco: only 3% of crimes were solved by CCTV.
"There's no fear of CCTV. Why don't people fear it? [They think] the cameras are not working."
New database
CCTV operators also needed more feedback to ensure they felt "valued", he said.
Det Ch Insp Neville's unit is now piloting a new database of CCTV images which police hope will help track and identify offenders.
If criminals see that CCTV works they are less likely to commit crimes
Det Ch Insp Mike Neville
Metropolitan Police
The unit is also looking at ways of using software which can follow distinctive brand logos on the clothing of unidentified suspects.
In addition, from next month, his team will be putting images of suspects in muggings, rape and robbery cases on the internet.
"If criminals see that CCTV works they are less likely to commit crimes," Det Ch Insp Neville added.
There are more than 4.2 million cameras in the UK, but until Viido was set up in September 2006 there had been no dedicated police unit to deal with the collection and dissemination of CCTV evidence.
If Viido, based at Southwark Police Station, is judged to be a success it could lead to the development of specialist CCTV units across the country.