Tameside’s crime-busting CCTV network celebrated

TAMESIDE’S extensive CCTV network has had a successful year of stopping and solving crime.

Tameside Council’s 24-hour CCTV operation monitors 303 CCTV cameras to help reduce crime and the fear of crime, while also assisting in monitoring road safety and improving community confidence to create a safer environment for residents, businesses and visitors.

The Council is going to explore opportunities to develop the network further, including utilising Tameside’s high-speed fibre installation, which would further increase its effectiveness and achieve long-term savings.

A report on the network and Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) teams, which operate within the Community Safety service, outlines their successes over the past financial year.

The CCTV team support a number of agencies, including Greater Manchester Police (GMP), and can assist in the detection and prevention of crime and disorder, help identify, apprehend and prosecute offenders, gather evidence and counter terrorism.

It has direct radio links with GMP, allowing CCTV operators to report incidents quickly for faster response times, and with all town centre businesses that subscribe to the Radio Net system, so that town centre incidents, such as shoplifting, can be shared.

The Council is registered as a Data Controller to operate the public facing CCTV system, which imposes strict guidelines on how the network is managed, operated and maintained.

Councillor Vincent Ricci, Chair of Tameside Council’s Enforcement Panel, said: “Our CCTV team do a fantastic job in keeping residents safe by deterring crime and gathering evidence to ensure that any offenders are brought to justice. Their work in liaising and building relationships with partner organisations is also making Tameside a safer place for everyone.”

The Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) service take a lead role in investigating all reported incidents of ASB in the borough. In 2020 and 2021, the team dealt with 686 reports of ASB. In 2022, it received 200 reports of ASB.

The team worked with GMP last year to secure a Public Space Protection Order for Ashton Town Centre, following public consultation, to counter ASB. At the end of 2022, seventeen people were engaged for being in breach of the order with two people who didn’t heed warnings being issued with fixed penalty notices. Police have since carried out enforcement activity under the PSPO on 60 separate occasions.

A redesign has recently expanded the service, which will help to deal with an increase in demand and help implement further improvements. The Service also plans to adopt an Anti-Social Behaviour Strategy, setting out Tameside Council’s commitment to reducing ASB and improving the quality of life for local people.

Cllr Ricci added: “Our Anti-Social Behaviour service has done some superb work dealing with hundreds of incidents and working with the police to nip problems in the bud and create a safer and more attractive borough.”