THIRTEEN CCTV cameras could be installed in key locations around Okehampton to help in the fight against crime and anti-social behaviour. Okehampton Chamber of Trade members have been given a presentation on the state-of-the-art technology by national security firm ADT. The scheme, which has an estimated cost of around £65,000, impressed chamber members. It was also welcomed by shop owners and town residents who visited the mobile unit ADT stationed in the town throughout the day to demonstrate the effectiveness of the system. Mike Partington, system consultant for ADT stressed CCTV should not be seen as the ?be-all and end-all? in terms of tackling crime. He said: ?It is not going to stop it in its tracks, but it will give you a deterrent.? Mr Partington said with assistance from the police, they now knew the ?hot spot? areas within the town centre at which cameras could be most effectively deployed. Police figures show 721 crime incidents reported between April 2002 and November 2004, where CCTV could have been effective ? 179 occurred in Fore Street, 87 in Market Street, and 69 in School Way. In the Arcade, where CCTV was recently installed, only 24 crimes were recorded. In terms of anti-social behaviour/disorder and violent incidents, Market Street and Fore Street were the focal points for problems, often occurring outside licensed premises. In the Arcade, only nine incidents of anti-social behaviour, violence or disorder were recorded. Areas identified as possible sites for cameras include Red Lion Yard ? at all entrance points with a central camera panning the courtyard area; the town hall wall ? covering Market Street and Nero?s Night Club; outside More Newsagents in Fore Street; Bradley?s; the Chancery ? opposite the fish and chip shop and Indian takeaway; the King?s Arms; the Coffee Pot and the Post Office. Mr Partington said permission would have to be sought from the owners of the buildings, but there would be no planning issues unless the buildings were listed. He said the system offered the flexibility of being able to put up extra cameras if they were required. ?If the problem shifts somewhere else, you can always move a camera there,? he said. Mr Partington said Okehampton would be the first town of its size to use this sort of technology, which had previously been prohibitively expensive and restricted to military and industrial use. He added: ?I know £65,000 sounds like a lot of money, but if we can reduce crime by 20 or even 25 per cent then it?s got to be worth every penny.? Mr Partington predicted the system would cost around £500 a year in terms of running costs, and the cameras would have a lifespan of six to seven years. The chamber has been fighting for a CCTV system for the town for several years, but the police had previously expressed reservations about the idea. However, in a report to the chamber, WPC Angie Frost, crime reduction officer for West Devon, said she believed a CCTV system would be ?very beneficial? to the town. WPC Frost acknowledged the ?initial police response was not 100 per cent favourable?. She said while cameras would not solve all the town?s problems, she was now satisfied the proposed system would produce the ?quality of images suitable for court purposes and so any evidence gained will not be wasted?. Kay Bickley, who has worked with husband John, and Ian Bailey on drawing up the chamber proposal, said one of the key advantages was that the system was radio-transmitted system and relayed images from one camera to the next back to a central base unit, avoiding the disruption of digging up roads to lay cables. Mr Partington said a cable system could cost around £200,000. Mrs Bickley said from speaking to other business people it was clear the ?level of frustration from traders was intense? and there was a desire to see something done to reduce night-time vandalism, such as window-smashing. She said West Devon was a safe place to live but the crime statistics showed the level of criminal damage was higher than in similar Devon towns. The cameras would not be monitored 24 hours a day, but could be manned at key times by volunteers or police officers. Mrs Bickley said the chamber would take the proposal to Okehampton Town Council to seek its support and would then be looking for various sources of funding such as charitable trusts or the Home Office to implement the scheme.
