As said, its only as good as the people using it!

As said, its only as good as the people using it!

Sorry to disagree, the use of talking CCTV in the public space is operationally flawed in the medium and long term.

Ilkie

Sorry to disagree, the use of talking CCTV in the public space is operationally flawed in the medium and long term.

Ilkie

How ?

How ?

If you think about the operational use of Talking CCTV it basically revolves around the operator requesting the member of the public to stop dropping litter/ fighting/ p*ssing etc.

The reaction will be either compliance or more likely ignored.

Then you have a problem as there is no way to rack the situation up to the next level.

In the past the next is a threat " well if you don't the Police will come" and guess what they don't come.

Now the little charmer knows the first announcement is worthless as it cannot be backed up, and so the system falls in disrepute.

Also most High Street where these systems are installed contain a mix of residential and commercial properties. How long would it be before there are complaints (and threat of action under Noise Pollution Legislation, which cannot be enforced as the Environmental Health Dept is run by the same Council that deployed the speaker system in the first place, although it will make a good story for the local press = plenty of embarrassment!)

Next is the risk of the Operator getting the hump and saying something he shouldn't, so now you need to record the actions to protect the Council from accusations that the operation did not ask politely enough.

The next is the risk that the issue was escalated because the target did not have English as a first language or was deaf (see Council's Equality and Diversity Policy), let alone trying to understand the operator who has a heavy accent.

Seriously I know of one Authority who installed such a system for Civil Contingency reasons who are trying to work out how they are going to make the announcement in the 32 languages they try to support.

Hope this offers some idea of how I arrive at my opinion.

Regards

Ilkie