Overview
A network of pioneering CCTV Refuge Points have been set up across the town, whereby members of the public can instantly alert CCTV Control Room staff when they feel threatened or at risk; calls can then be relayed to the Police Control Room if the caller is deemed to be at risk.
What we did
CCTV Refuge Points provide 24/7 surveillance of an area with CCTV but have the additional advantage of offering users a ‘panic button’ feature whereby they can automatically alert Police to a live incident. Upon activation, operators will be able to risk assess the scene via a PTZ (Pan, Tilt and Zoom) camera to secure evidence, determine what help is need, dispatch the appropriate police response and provide reassurance to the caller via two-way audio.
The result
The technology, which has been developed over the past six months, has been fitted to CCTV columns and are painted white to make them more visual to members of the public requiring help and are now fully operational. It has been funded as part of a multiagency effort, led by Commissioner Henry, to make the public safer and reduce their risk of crime and violence through the Home Office’s Safer Streets 3 project.
