From the January print issue of Professional Security.
Evidence of defective CCTV was used by Nottinghamshire Police, among other records, to get a Nottingham city centre club licence revoked in September 2005. Using CCTV incident logs, and hospital accident and emergency records, could be among options available to the police and councils, if they are seeking to revoke licences of problem pubs and clubs, according to a guide, Tackling alcohol-fuelled disorder in town and city centres. The authorities can use what the guide calls “environmental and street scene policies to reduce anti-social behaviour” such as providing temporary urinals; and improved street lighting, the guide adds. The document praises pub-police radio links in Boston, and Croydon. There’s a telephone action line on alcohol disorder, combining advice with legal support where necessary (020 7072 7447). You can download the guide at www.crimereduction.gov.uk
Use of public space CCTV and retail radio links is becoming a commonplace in policing of the night-time economy, mirroring such partnership work by day. In Peterborough, Insp Ken Young, leading an operation against alcohol-related disorder over Christmas, said: "Operation Eagle is a mulit-agency approach to continue reducing alcohol related crime. Through our Centresafe scheme we are able to keep in touch with venues and CCTV which allows operators to talk to one another about individuals causing problems in the city and stop them from going into other venues.”
