Are CCTV cameras everywhere?

At Ace Fire & Security, we install and maintain commercial CCTV and home surveillance systems nationwide. We are not stressed about the dystopian reality, because we feel there are positive elements of installing CCTV cameras in a business or public environment – so long as the systems are well specified and installed.

In the UK public arena, CCTV can reassure the public and despite thousands being installed under the control of local authorities, the public is still demanding more. CCTV will provide continuous monitoring and recording if the system is installed by a professional company. Whilst we could rely on the local bobbies on the beat, they may not provide night and day surveillance and they can’t be in all places at the same time. If a suspect is trawling your town or business premises, the cameras will show where the suspect has been, and, with modern analytics, ‘scene changes’ can also be captured and alerted. In public places, commercial CCTV systems can reassure public safety, which is always positive. Consider this: if a CCTV system is used to its full potential, is this money well spent? Are the costs of the cameras proportionate to the problems being faced?

Whilst some people will not want to be watched by ‘Big Brother’ these cameras need not invade our private lives and most do not have audio surveillance. The only disadvantage is that vandals may smash, spray or damage the lenses to prevent any monitoring. It goes without saying that surveillance cameras will act as a serious deterrent to anyone carrying out illegal activities. Have a read of this article about the number of cameras in a single commute in New York.

Well specified and installed camera(s) will give a controlled field of view, but it’s important for privacy and GDPR compliance to ensure that areas outside of the control of the CCTV owner are not being monitored or recorded. Therefore, it is imperative that any potentially incorrect or invasive monitoring is blocked out for security purposes. At Ace Fire & Security we can advise what products you would need for your commercial CCTV system and would be happy to discuss the full options with you, including 24/7 monitoring and support.

         
Darren Gibbons
Written by Darren Gibbons

Darren is a security systems, life safety and fire protection specialist and Managing Director of Ace Fire & Security.

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