A WALL of closed-circuit television screens at Frankston police station is part of the latest strategy to fight street crime.
The CCTV cameras, capturing footage in high resolution to clearly identify offenders, have been installed in the divisional operation support office to focus in on crime as it happens in the street, shopping centres, train station or foreshore.
Backed by Frankston Council, the camera bank is manned by police officers who may be returning to work after injury, or others unable to work on the front line, but who still want to be part of the action.
They provide proactive real-time monitoring of known trouble spots. Officers can flick between locations to identify troublemakers, or radio police on the beat or in patrol cars to watch a suspect, then continue tracking suspects by switching cameras to different locations – and even watch inside shopping centres.
A search function on the cameras allows police to find a man, say, wearing a “green backpack” or “red overcoat”. The cameras can focus on “people known to police”.
The new surveillance cameras bring Frankston’s CCTV network to 50 cameras in addition to hundreds already in place at Bayside Shopping Centre.
Frankston mayor Cr James Dooley said the network would have a positive impact on the preventative aspects of policing across Frankston.
“It’s far better to prevent a crime than make a prosecution,” he said.
“We can get a good idea of what is going on simply by using our resources smarter.”
Cr Dooley says the CCTV strategy drew on experiences of similar operations at Geelong, Broadmeadows and Dandenong police stations and had been a “long time coming”.
“Frankston police were receptive to the idea and the community has been asking for them for a long time.”
Acting Senior Sergeant Glenn Michie said the cameras provided more front-line service support – not back-office support.”
Cr Dooley said the state-of-the-art cameras are a “remarkable improvement on previous models”.
“The accompanying computer software technology that drives them and the real-time monitoring capability are set to have a real impact on crime prevention.”
He said extra police and more effective preventative measures to reduce criminal activity have had a “positive influence on the public’s perception of Frankston, with 58 per cent of residents agreeing that the city is safe – up 6 per cent from 2012”.
“Council is determined to continue working proactively with the community and Frankston police to address concerns relating to crime, drug use and anti-social behaviour.”
The council’s investment of $300,000 over the next four years has been complemented by a $160,000 grant from the federal government for a CCTV network along the Frankston waterfront and at the Belvedere shopping district.
The Young St CCTV network will also be improved as part of the state government’s commitment to delivering the Frankston station precinct redevelopment, Cr Dooley said.
The mayor said council will contribute to ongoing running costs for the new cameras.
Investments in Frankston’s CCTV network follow other community safety initiatives such as a safe taxi rank and graffiti removal programs.
