Clippings (June - July 1998)Clippings (June - July 1998)Video Nation (Police Review 3/7/98)
Traders welcome plan for facelift to car park (T&A 23/6/98)
"Kick in teeth" for spy-camera bid (T&A 22/6/98)
Traders "on air" in crime crackdown (T&A 10/6/98)
Tally ho-oligans (Letters, T&A, 10/6/98)
Traffic Cameras used for illicit surveillance (KDIS Online, 4/6/98)
Cars destroyed by 'arsonists' (T&A 4/6/98)
No threat to our civil liberties (Letters, T&A 4/6/98)
CCTV cameras are a retrograde step (T&A Letters 30/5/98)
T&A Letters (30/5/98)
SIR - Your report from Shipley "Big switch-on for new spy cameras" (T&A, May 20) once again misreports as fact that "It is hoped that the cameras will be as successful as a similar scheme in Bingley where the cameras have helped slash vandalism and burglary by more than half."
When asked about the effects of CCTV in Bingley at the Police Community Forum last month, Superintendent Priestley pointed out that there has, to date, been no true evaluation of the cameras.
The T&A supports the widespread deployment of these mass surveillance cameras, but you should be careful not to confuse propaganda with fact. For our part, we believe the deployment of these expensive spy cameras in Shipley is a retrograde step. They will prove largely ineffective, expensive and intrusive. There has been no public demand for their deployment.
We would also welcome a proper, independent evaluation of the systems in Keighley and Bingley, along the lines of the Airdrie study.
W Smith, 1 in 12 Library Collective, Albion Street, Bradford 1.
Editor's note: "The CCTV cameras in Shipley have the strong support of local businesses, who have sufficient confidence in them to have helped to pay for them. The police reported, in March of last year that following the introduction of cameras in Bingley in 1996 the number of acts of vandalism and burglary carried out against the town-centre shops had fallen to 42, from 95 the previous year "
(Letters, T&A 4/6/98)
SIR - Regarding your correspondent W Smith (CCTV cameras in Shipley), law-abiding people welcome CCTV cameras in Shipley, and not before time! While most of our visitors are not here for nefarious purposes, we do have more than our share of dubious characters, all waiting for the chance to pick up some easy money. Does W Smith realise that there are CCTV cameras in most shops these days?
If used correctly, CCTV provides a cover of security, together with a backup from the police. It can identify problem areas, undesirables, and provide a call for assistance to other emergency services in case of accident, riot or fire.
I personally do not see this as a threat to my civil liberty because I have nothing to hide. CCTV in Shipley is not a retrograde step. It is a step forward in the fight against crime.
T Williams-Berry, Bredon Avenue, Wrose.
(T&A 4/6/98)
BRADFORD: Two cars were destroyed in suspected arson attacks in Vicar Lane at 4am today.
Firefighters from Pudsey were called to deal with the blazes in the Council-owned car park which wrecked an old Mini and a Nissan Micra.
A Bradford Council car parks spokesman said: "Our CCTV operators saw that two cars had been burnt out on the Vicar Lane car park this morning and we informed the police. Generally speaking, people who set cars on fire have stolen them from elsewhere and then dump them."
Inspector Sam Sagar, of Bradford Central police, said: "We would not advise people to leave cars overnight - but it depends of the circumstances. If people have been drinking, then it is sensible to leave the car. The best thing is to leave the car in an area where there are a lot of people about."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Bradford Central CID on (01274) 376485.
(Letters to the Editor, T&A, 10/6/98)
SIR - Your regular correspondent Mr T ("I've got nothing to hide") Williams-Berry is talking refreshingly good sense when he praises the value of CCTV and video facilities in revealing the ugly behaviour of the less-desirable members of our community (T&A, June, 4).
In the last few years, the overwhelming distaste that the vast majority of the population feels for bloodsports and the need to criminalise such ghastly activities has been partially due to the efforts of such organisations as the RSPCA and League Against Cruel Sports in securing authentic video footage (often in the face of physical violence) of the tally ho-oligan element indulging in their sadistic ways.
Such evidence was so shocking to our elected representatives that overwhelming numbers of them voted for a ban on bloodsports in the House of Commons recently.
This issue won't go away until hunting does, and our MPs know it.
Sid Brown, Leamington Terrace, 1lkley.
by CATRANA DICK (T&A 10/6/98)
Traders in Pudsey are waging war on criminals with a new "advance warning" radio link.
Six town centre firms have already signed up to West Leeds Shop Link with more expected on air soon.
The system allows traders to warn each other about potential shoplifters via a radio link. It has already proved successful in Dewsbury and Armley where reported offences involving theft from shops fell by a third during the first three months.
The drive to establish Shop Link in Pudsey has been spearheaded by Woolworth's in Church Lane with support from Pudsey crime prevention officer PC Mick Nield. The licence for the short range business radios is held by Pudsey and West Leeds Crime Prevention Panel and traders buy their own radio and charger at £210 a time.
Assistant manager Anne-Marie Almond said: "It's like policing your own patch. We haven't got CCTV in Pudsey so it's the next best thing. In fact, people seem to come to Pudsey from areas where there is CCTV and think they can get away with it. Traders used to alert each other by phone but by the time someone had answered, the Potential shoplifter could have been and gone. Now, as well as using the radios in store, we can stand at the doorway and describe where someone is going and what they are wearing.
"And it makes us feel safer. It's a comfort to know there's someone on the other end of the radio who can help."
Newsagent Eric Grant from Maynews added: "We were plagued with potential shoplifters but this certainly seems to have helped. We know who to look for and we're ready for them."
PC Nield said: "The more there are in the scheme, the more effective it will be. In Armley Town Street, reports of offences involving theft from shops fell by a third in the first three months.
"There had also been problems with shopkeepers being assaulted and threatened but we've had no complaints since the scheme was launched last year."
T&A 22/6/98
Skipton received a "kick in the teeth" from the Government with the rejection of a call for help to install a CCTV system in the town, it was claimed today.
The Home Office has announced the 33 reciplents who will share a £1 million pot of cash - but Skipton is not one of them.
The refusal comes as another blow to Craven District Council, the Police and the local business community, who have applied in vain for help during previous rounds of award funding.
BW Houghton, treasurer of the local Chamber of Trade, said: "It's a kick in the teeth for everyone who got involved."
Councillor Janet Gott, chairman of Craven District Council, said: "I was very distressed to hear this news. We have all worked so hard for it all to be just thrown away like this. "
She added: "Once again the cards were stacked against very small towns with low crime rates. We seem to be punished for doing too good a job. "
Now councillors will try to identify why the bids failed, and to come up with ideas for alternative funding.
Almost half of the £136,000 needed to install the cameras was raised by the Council, North Yorkshire Police and Skipton businesses. It was hoped the rest could come from the fourth round of the Government's £1 million CCTV Challenge Fund.
There are fears the town will become an easy target for criminals as more and more neighbouring towns become equipped with CCTV.
by OLWEN VASEY (T&A 23/6/98)
Contractors have moved into Bradford's second biggest city centre car park to carry out a major refurbishment.
The £450,000 scheme in Kirkgate car park which has 554 spaces - will include resurfacing and structural improvements to the top deck of the multi-storey building which will remain open during the work.
Security will be given top priority in the scheme, expected to be finished in October.
Surveys revealed the work on the 1970s building was urgently needed - and engineers say it needs to be carried out in dry weather.
Lighting and the closed circuit television system will be improved and a colour-coded system introduced to help disabled drivers with facilities.
Chairman of the Council's transportation, planning and design committee Coun Latif Darr said today the aim was to get the work completed in time for the run-up to the Christmas shopping.
He added: "It is our most important city centre car park and we want to make it both attractive and very secure."
The president of Bradford Chamber of Trade, Eric Hudson, said: "We hope that the work will be finished by October and there will be no delays, which could cause difficulties for retailers. We look forward to a high quality car park and think the arrangements for disabled people are an excellent idea.
"We see good city centre parking as a priority for the viability of the centre and are pleased that the Council is beginning to listen to us."
But he added the traders were still strongly against the Council's proposals to charge for street parking places in the city centre which had previously been free. Telegraph & Argus readers who filled in questionnaires voted by 174 to eight against the proposals.
The Council plans to advertise a traffic order for the streets in the near future and says it will consult with people about how a scheme would be implemented.
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