Forum update

Is the public being let down by the CCTV surveillance society?

Despite an ever-increasing number of CCTV cameras and more personal data than ever before held by Data Controllers, is the lack of compliance within the Data Protection Act (DPA) among users short-changing the public?

Speaking at the fourth CameraWatch members' forum, CameraWatch CEO Gordon Ferrie said: "There has been a real lack of progress in convincing CCTV users and operators to comply with ICO and DPA legislation.

"And ultimately, this is letting down the public. We have heard before from senior figures in the legal and law and order communities who bemoan the lack of a consistent approach to the recording, storage and collection of CCTV images.

"The lack of a coherent strategy to regulate CCTV means that prosecutions could collapse because of a lack of evidence or indeed that criminals may never be identified - and all because CCTV images are not recorded in full compliance with the law, or the images retained are too poor in quality."

Also at the event, Paul Mackie, CameraWatch's Compliance Director, launched CameraWatch's own initiative to help combat the ever increasing failures in data protection as it relates to CCTV by announcing a "first step solution" aimed at all public service Security and Emergency Control centres responsible for monitoring CCTV images UK wide.

Mackie said: "The CameraWatch CCTV Data Protection Compliance Assessment Assurance Scheme is aimed at improving all aspects of CCTV surveillance regarding the legal obligations under the Data Protection Act 1988 and the Information Commissioner's office CCTV Code of Practice (revised edition 2008)." 

Ferrie added: "CameraWatch is now setting the standard. We would expect all UK CCTV Controls rooms to want to be part of the scheme. The 90 per cent figure of non DPA CCTV compliant systems is just unacceptable"

Other speakers at the event included: Chief Superintendent Jill Imery, Head of Safer Communities, Lothian & Borders Police; Ken MacDonald, Information Commissioners Office (ICO); Mike Tennant, Managing Director, Tavcom Group; Alan Brown, OBE, QPM, Director Of Security, Tesco; and Brian Sims, Editor, Security Management Today Online.

The CameraWatch Forum and debate is conducted under the 'Chatham House Rules' and was not open to the media. The main findings of the event will be reported in due course.

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