Covering the town centres of Harrow and Wealdstone – including the link road between the two, the Roxborough Bridge subway system and several main car parks – a Quadrant Video Systems-installed CCTV set-up procured by Harrow Borough Council is designed to reduce anti-social behaviour and cut down on so-called crime 'hot spots'.
The initial system was developed thanks to a successful bid for funding from the Home Office and the Government Office for London, and is run in conjunction with London buses. It comprises 141 high resolution colour cameras, the images from which are monitored in a purpose-built Control Room and recorded on Sony HSR 2, 16-channel DVRs.
When exercising the monitoring function, system operators make use of Synectics' X250 keyboards to control all camera functions during monitoring.
In use, images are recorded on a 24-hour basis across all of the Borough's transportation facilities. This is a direct response to retail theft as well as passengers who had expressed concern for their safety while using the town's bus and MetroLine stations, with most incidents occurring late at night (and at the weekend).
The benefit of the scheme's effective partnerships is illustrated by a recent incident involving the attempt of a fraudulent credit card transaction at a local store. After the offender had fled the premises, a CCTV operator who'd been notified of the incident over the retail radio system tracked the offender's progress until he made an attempted getaway on a local bus. On issuing a request to the bus station control, they in turn contacted the driver of the bus, who then pulled over and waited with the doors closed. A short while later the police arrived to make an arrest.
Spanning only a short period of operation, a dramatic fall in problematic incidents has already been noticed thanks to the digital CCTV installation. This has been reflected in a significant rise in passenger usage and – every bit as importantly – a reduction in the fear of crime across Harrow and Wealdstone. A great result.
Quadrant Video Systems – Enquiry 101
Source
SMT
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