Surveillance

CCTV helps shorten investigation time

By Jianggan Li | 25 September 2008

A universal IP-based CCTV ‘player’ will be able to significantly reduce investigation time and make it easier for the police to view footage. Previously, a suspect could not be charged immediately and had to be let out on bail, and wait until the evidence captured on footage was available. The new software will allow police officers, be they computer experts or not, to gain access to evidence more quickly.

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The vast variety of CCTV cameras, with its numerous proprietary formats, have made it more difficult for investigators to view material. “More rapid and straightforward access to CCTV evidence will make police use of CCTV evidence more common, more effective and reduce delays in both investigating and solving crimes,” according to the Home Office in the UK.

In the UK, the Home Office Scientific Development Branch has been trialling the new system, SiraView. The trial is designed to establish the most common digital formats seen by each police force across the country. “Officers can view footage directly on their PC rather than having to wait for the footage to be sent to a laboratory for it to be viewed and put into a format that can be played on standard PCs.”