Since October last year, the City of Fremantle’s CCTV network has recorded 140 incidents, resulting in 17 arrests and seven ambulance responses. Seven new CCTVs were installed by the City of Fremantle last year, adding to the two at a taxi rank introduced in January 2005.
“Public opinion has changed so much it’s now almost an expectation that CCTVs are located in public places in larger cities, as part of an overall safety strategy,” said City of Fremantle CEO, Graeme Mackenzie. “The move to increase our CCTV surveillance came about after extensive investigations into the impact of cameras on crime and antisocial behaviour in other places, such as Brisbane and the Gold Coast, where they have played a vital role in assisting police.
“The statistics for the first three months of operation are showing CCTVs are a worthwhile investment for the City of Fremantle, leading to a reduction in crime and antisocial behaviour on our streets.”
Community Safety and Ranger Coordinator, Cameron Bartkowski, said police feedback had indicated the CCTV network was proving to be a useful tool in their everyday work on the beat.
“Both the police and local Nyoongar patrol are using the CCTV system for back up assistance and to help identify persons of interest,” he said. “We have been able to monitor people who may be of interest to police and intelligence is gathered and shared to provide valuable evidence for the detection and prosecution of offenders.
“The network also alerts police to various incidents as they happen, allowing them to respond before antisocial behaviour escalates, while serving as a reassurance for the safety of the general public.”
According to the report, one of the major impacts of the CCTV network was in reducing the incidence of substance abuse while also assisting in the City’s litter and works management, after bollards were knocked over.
Six more cameras are expected to be introduced in the 2008/2009 financial year and then another four in 2009/2010.
