UK operators and manufacturers continue to lead the world in the CCTV sector.
City security and traffic management schemes particularly are attracting international attention for their ability to balance surveillance with respect for privacy.

The latest example of this was when a delegation of high ranking police officers from Holland visited Leeds to see a demonstration of the LeedsWatch community safety scheme in action.

The scheme covers the entire city center and some outlying areas and has already been used in hundreds of successful prosecutions.

Following international interest in schemes commissioned by Leeds City Council and Bradford Metropolitan Borough Council to crack down on crime, the video network specialist has received enquires from US, France, Holland and South Africa.

COE's technical manager, Mark Marriage, said: "The quality of video images can mean the difference between simply monitoring a site and securing an arrest and conviction. Our networks are designed to produce images which will stand up in court but which will also protect individual privacy by zoning off private housing areas, for example. "

The Leeds scheme supports more than 100 colour cameras and uses COE fibre optic transmission throughout. Telecommand drives all pan and tilt heads as well as most speed domes. Cameras have up to 32 walk and pre-set functions. A graphical user interface gives operators real time viewing, recording, playback and system management.

COE's video network for Bradford, via a singlemode fibre transmission path, also links Keighley, Bingly and Shipley as well as Bradford city centre and urban traffic control.

The company's other schemes cover the Parc des Princes Stadium in Paris; town centre schemes in Cape D'Agde, Antibes and Rungis, France; and UK schemes in Wrexham, Brixton, Glasgow, Perth and Dundee as well as London's congestion charging scheme.