Low Reported Incidents Results in Ards and North Down CCTV Review

An overhaul of all public CCTV in Ards and North Down has been demanded due to the low number of incidents reported.

08:51 01 December 2021

Local politicians are demanding an overhaul of all public CCTV in Ards and North Down after it emerged that a total of 18 CCTV caught only three incidents over a three-month period between April and June this year. The incidents, which took place in Bangor, Holywood and Newtonards, involved one assault, one unauthorized parade and one incident of criminal damage. 

 

The council's CCTV cameras are regularly monitored and each requires manning for 40 hours per week. 

 

UUP Alderman Marion Smith said: “I really must question the cost of running a CCTV system and the results gained. The report presented covers April 1st to June 30th, the offences recorded using 18 cameras, 40 hours of recording a week.

 

"What was recorded during that time was one assault, one unauthorised parade - and I don’t think we need CCTV to tell us there was such a parade - and one criminal damage.

 

“I really think there should now be an overhaul of our CCTV system to bring it into the modern age, rather than spending this much time on so little. On three offences - with one that could have been reported by anybody? I ask officers to go back, look at the system, and see how it can be improved - in every way.”