Town 'not prepared for terror attack' (From Swindon Advertiser)
Get involved! Send photos, video, news & views. Text SWINDON NEWS to 80360 or email us
Town 'not prepared for terror attack'
9:20am Monday 8th September 2008 in News
Jonathan Rowbotham at one of Swindon's CCTV centres
CCTV coverage in Swindon is not sufficient to cope with a terrorist attack in the town centre.
That is the conclusion of research into the borough’s fragmented CCTV system, which will be debated by Swindon Council’s cabinet members this week.
The research, carried out by Perpetuity International on behalf of Swindon’s Community Safety Partnership, focuses on the town centre, where cameras are not constantly monitored, as an area of particular concern.
The report stated: “The town centre systems that exist are not currently monitored 24/7. There is no proactive CCTV cover at peak times.
“Similarly, if a major incident occurred in the town centre, co-ordination of the existing systems to monitor the incident and response is likely to be difficult.
“Swindon’s CCTV system lacks co-ordination and is not fit for the future.”
Part of the problem is the fact that there are currently three control rooms monitoring the key CCTV and response systems across Swindon. The research recommends developing a single control room, staffed around the clock, bringing together the key cameras from a range of systems.
The approach is also criticised for not being cost-effective and another recommendation is to offer private organisations the chance to pay for 24/7 coverage as part of the central control room.
Chief Supt Paul Howlett, the chair of the Community Safety Partnership, said: “My view is that CCTV is an important tool in tackling crime, whether that be public disorder or something as serious as a terrorist incident.
“Unfortunately everyone in this country is facing a possible threat from international terrorism and we do need to be prepared.
“The proposal of a central control room would also give us an exciting opportunity to use other tools in the reduction of crime, including automatic number plate recognition.
“We have great ambitions for the town centre and it would seem odd that if it worked in other towns we could not use this tool in Swindon.
“This is not about Big Brother; this is about the harsh realities of being prepared.”
Coun Colin Lovell (Con, Moredon), cabinet member for safer and stronger communities, stressed that the council was only responsible for a portion of the CCTV across Swindon.
He said: “Our responsibility is for looking after our own properties, principally our housing stock.
“This is a very positive direction and I think people will be supportive of it. You can ask why it wasn’t done a long time ago, but this is one of a number of things that we are now getting round to.
“CCTV is not a panacea to all of the crimes in Swindon – it is one element of a number of ways or measures to reduce crime.
“The important thing is that we are recognising that things need to be improved and we are working towards doing that.”
The issue will be debated at a cabinet meeting on Wednesday evening at the Civic Offices.
Comments(32)
dc the 2nd
says...
10:00am Mon 8 Sep 08
This CCTV system is the council's pebble.
dc the 2nd
says...
10:03am Mon 8 Sep 08
"does Swindon council have any tangible evidence of a terrorist threat?"
The Artist formally known as Grumpy Old Man
says...
10:23am Mon 8 Sep 08
Tonyblairisthedevil
says...
10:26am Mon 8 Sep 08
Could we post some maps on the jihad websites?
nansview
says...
10:41am Mon 8 Sep 08
dc the 2nd
says...
10:50am Mon 8 Sep 08
Fine, if we need a new CCTV system to catch criminals then so be it, but dont try to sell it to us as a terrorist protector when there is no tangible threat.
Same issue on a larger scale is dealt with in Naomi Klein's Shock Doctrine. Its very easy for those in control to grab power and errode civil liberty under a climate of fear. Just like telling people that without a new CCTV system terrorists are going to strike.
All i am saying is lets have a reasonable debate on the CCTV issue based on realistic (like street crime) problems.
Brainuser
says...
10:58am Mon 8 Sep 08
Bobfm
says...
11:01am Mon 8 Sep 08
We have seen this so often with HMG/European policy,
1. Smoking, make people fear passive smoking is harmful.
2. Global Warming, Britain contributes just 2.5%, even if we didn't exist tomorrow, China would replace our contribution in just 3 years.
3. Bio-fuels: Create the feel good factor. Consequence 40% increase in food prices, and greater CO2 emissions.
4. Terrorism is a threat: But is it imminent: The Government needs you to think it is, to justify ID cards and the like.
Is Swindon at risk, no more than any other town in the country.
Al Smith
says...
11:04am Mon 8 Sep 08
Yes I admit CCTV does have a deterent effect for low level crime, such as teenagers hanging around drinking and makes people feel more secure.
In the end it's like speed cameras, if they really worked no one would get caught/speed. Yet people still do despite them being painted bright amber.
Brainuser
says...
11:10am Mon 8 Sep 08
P3 NAS Mark II
says...
11:18am Mon 8 Sep 08
Swindon will always be at risk due to the train links to major cities, army bases within a stones throw and the M4.
I don't think anything can prepare you for a terrorist attack. How exactly would we stop someone? No one with any authority carries a gun in Swindon and the nearest task force are in Devizes I believe and they'd be hard pushed stopping some freak strapped up with dynamite.
And God forbid any normal citizen stepping in, the terrorist would sue them for racism or something equally as silly.
If it's going to happen it's going to happen!
Even Angrier Monkey
says...
11:25am Mon 8 Sep 08
CCTV is not going to stop a terrorist attack on Swindon
Terrorists are very unlikley to want to attack Swindon in the 1st place as there is nothing of any major significance here. You may have noticed , but Al Queda tend to go for Airports, major finacial centres, Miliatary positions, Significant public transport areas.
CCTV does not stop or prevent most crime. It is a reactionary system. It might help catch a few people, but if someone is wearing a hood or cap commits a crime, then legs it how does having a picture from 40 yards away of a yoof in a hood help anyone?
As others have mentioned we already have a s**t load of CCTV cameras in this country yet still have plenty of crime.
Always Grumpy
says...
11:26am Mon 8 Sep 08
dc the 2nd wrote:Did you suffer from bear attacks before you got your imaginary pebble?
i have a pebble (not really) that i keep because it keeps bears away, ever since i bought it i've never been attacked by bears
This CCTV system is the council's pebble.
I'm having awful trouble with attacks from giraffes - perhaps getting a pebble would help me? I suppose it's worth a try.
I'm surprised the Adver has picked up on all these giraffe attacks on me! It does get you down.
dc the 2nd
says...
11:37am Mon 8 Sep 08
It also works for Giraffes, lions and the tooth fairy.
Brainuser
says...
11:39am Mon 8 Sep 08
ourtone
says...
11:51am Mon 8 Sep 08
Good analogy, we are all scared of bears. We should be scared of councils.
thenoose
says...
12:19pm Mon 8 Sep 08
The greatest threat to the security of Swindon is an idiot like this. Perhaps getting a few coppers out of the station would be a deterent to the terrorists. On the other hand, with better CCTV, coppers could sit back at the station and watch the footage whilst counting beans for fools like Howlett.
Brainuser
says...
12:31pm Mon 8 Sep 08
Malkym
says...
1:35pm Mon 8 Sep 08
Big Mac
says...
2:38pm Mon 8 Sep 08
Every serious, independent report into the effectiveness of CCTV in relation to preventing crime has concluded that they offer very low level benefits and that there are far more cost-effective and more useful measures: simply installing better lighting in poorly lit areas has around four times more effectiveness in reducing crime, according to most reports.
I'm afraid the police seem to think CCTV cameras work like Speed Cameras, ie, doing their job for them, badly, whilst they put their feet up or just drive around in their nice, warm new cars.
Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way in reality. Speed cameras don't stop speeding motorists - which is why 2 million tickets were issued by them last year alone - and speed cameras don't stop (or catch) bad drivers, drunk drivers, tired drivers, drugged drivers, illegal drivers and 95% of those who cause accidents.
In just the same way, CCTV has become a very quick and easy way for government agencies to spend tax money and say, 'Ta da! Look, we're doing something about crime and, oooh, isn't it fancy and technological?'
Well, no, not really, they're poor quality video cameras in a world that now has Blu-Ray HD players for £100 and HD video cameras for £300. It's not impressive, it doesn't work and it's basically a pointless con when all is said and done.
cfa
says...
2:49pm Mon 8 Sep 08
The money should be spent on hunting these people down, closing radical websites and locking preachers of hate up for a long, long time.
I must admit though that CCTV on the tube did help catch the 7/7 bombers.
Brainuser
says...
3:19pm Mon 8 Sep 08
cfa wrote:Um, how did CCTV help catch the London Bombers? Wasn't that alleged to have been a suicide mission?
What a load of burka's they are if they think that they can fool us in to accepting more CCTV on the grounds of preventing terrorism. A suicide bomber couldn't give a sheite about cameras.The money should be spent on hunting these people down, closing radical websites and locking preachers of hate up for a long, long time.I must admit though that CCTV on the tube did help catch the 7/7 bombers.
Has anyone else actually been charged with anything that actually lead to a conviction in court connected to that?
No CCTV has ever been made public over that incident, only cropped and edited stills. Have a look on the web about what some believe happened that day - its as fishy as hell.
Big Mac
says...
3:25pm Mon 8 Sep 08
If they don't get rid of the criminal terrorists that they already know about and have put through the legal system, why does anyone suppose they're concerned about installing yet more CCTV to 'stop' other terrorists?
The fact is that we're already the most heavily spied upon nation in the world by our own government and yet we have a rising crime problem. The simple fact is that this government are not interested in protecting the public, if they were then they'd lock up convicted criminals (instead of issuing 'suspended' and 'community' sentences - ie, no punishment at all) and would end the utterly appalling 'early release scheme' which they put in place because they refuse to build the necessary new prisons that they were advised to build over seven years ago.
Does this government give a monkey's about criminals or YOU being a victim of crime? No.
Does this government want to keep tabs on our every movement, spend and activity for their own agenda? Very much so.
cfa
says...
4:02pm Mon 8 Sep 08
Another irony is that it seems the terrorist that have been tried nearly all come from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan our two "allies" in the region, or the UK . How many come from "the axis of evil" Iraq, Iran, Libya, Syria....etc?
Brainuser, I stand corrected I don't think it was 7/7 but there was plot to bomb London when the bomber bottled it on the tube and legged it, he and some of his chums were caught on CCTV arrested, tried and sentanced.
Big Mac
says...
4:28pm Mon 8 Sep 08
Unfortunately, most of the extremist Muslims in this country obtain their funding directly from Saudi Arabia and many of the terrorists here are from that country.
This government view 'terrorism' as a means to control their own population, increase taxes and to rule using fear. The reality is that they're happy to benefit from terrorism, both real and perceived.
FlowerPower
says...
6:55pm Mon 8 Sep 08
Good old Adver, scaremongering again. This is a 'non-story' yet again. There is very little risk of terrorist attacks here, in a not terribly significant town on the M4 corridor. As has already been said above, what huge impact would an attack here have on the nation as a whole? Sweet FA thats what!! I grew up in a major port city, where the threat from terrorism ( at that time the good ole IRA) WAS a significant risk. The number of bomb scares I witnessed there was unbelievable!!
Any terrorist attack on this country would be aimed to cause maximum disruption, loss of life and financial damage as possible. How would that be achieved here? The biggest risk here, is the threat of a bomber passing through on a London bound train.
A little commonsense would deal with any perceived terrorist attack in Swindon.
john c
says...
6:58pm Mon 8 Sep 08
FlowerPower
says...
7:00pm Mon 8 Sep 08
Just to add, dear beloved Adver, if you want a real story to report on, why not the road rage attack down by Bruce Street bridges last week. My 4 yr old is still reliving that as we were two cars behind it!! You try explaining to a young child why that man is stood in the road smashing someones windscreen with a wheel brace!!
Ahh but then that would mean actually going out and LOOKING for a story not waiting for it to fall into your lap wouldn't it!!!!
BWB
says...
9:43pm Mon 8 Sep 08
I bet not.
FlowerPower
says...
10:32pm Mon 8 Sep 08
BWB
says...
10:11am Tue 9 Sep 08
Unfortunatly,If the victim drove off,I suspect he has no Intention of reporting It,therefor police can do nothing.
Home Boy
says...
11:06pm Tue 9 Sep 08
Bob, if you're going to make such radical claims in your posts you may wish to consider some credible citations in future. How does the saying go? "90% of statistics are wrong 50% of the time" (citation needed).
Comment now! Register or sign in below.
Log in with us
Fields marked with * are mandatory.
Or
Log in with