Police in North Dorset are looking to recruit community-minded volunteers to monitor the output from 26 CCTV cameras across Shaftesbury, Gillingham and Blandford police stations.
Volunteers would be required to monitor the cameras at the three separate control rooms for any suspicious behaviour. If an incident takes place, they would be able to take control of camera direction and liaise with police officers on deployment in the area.
Section Commander for North Dorset, Inspector Phil Cheverton, said: โAlthough crime is low within the North Dorset area, CCTV has made a difference in both prevention and detection of crime. Having the ability to monitor the cameras at peak periods will provide added value to policing, which helps us to maintain a very low crime level here.โ
Blandford CCTV co-ordinator, Michael Warr, said: โWe are looking for volunteers with good visual and communication skills and an ability to concentrate for long periods of time.
โSome technical ability in basic computer literacy would be beneficial but full training will be provided.โ Helpers would be expected to work a maximum of four hours a week on a rota basis, including weekends.
Further east of the county, in Wimborne, 10 volunteers have been successfully monitoring the CCTV cameras to improve surveillance and security in the town centre for four years. This success means that the council has recently invested £70,000 in upgrading the Wimborne system.
Volunteer and CCTV co-ordinator at Wimborne, Joe West, said the facility is proving to be very efficient: โOur monitoring service has played a major part in reducing graffiti and vandalism. Our control room also benefits from being linked up with PubWatch and Shoplink.โ
To help North Dorset police to replicate the success that the Wimborne CCTV volunteers have enjoyed or to find out more about volunteering for Dorset Police, based at Shaftesbury, Gillingham or Blandford, ring the Volunteersโ Support Team on 01202/01305 223683 or e-mail [email protected]
