Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s annual report for 2015 to 2016 published

17 Nov 2016 02:51 PM

The Surveillance Camera Commissioner looks back on 2015 and 2016 in his third annual report to Parliament.

Yesterday the Surveillance Camera Commissioner’s third annual report was laid before Parliament.

In his report, the commissioner highlights:

• the launch of a third party certification scheme in November 2015 enabling any organisation to outwardly demonstrate compliance with the surveillance camera code of practice (approximately 40 organisations have been awarded his certification mark since launch)

• completion of the review into the impact and operation of the surveillance camera code of practice (submitted to Home Office ministers in February 2016 outlining 9 recommendations)

• liaison with all principal local authority chief executives to encourage completion of the self-assessment tool – 85% of local authorities have completed it

• development on updating the Home Office Centre for Applied Science Operational Requirement into a ‘passport for compliance’ for organisations to follow when thinking about the installation of CCTV (due for publication in 2017)

• beginning work on a national surveillance camera strategy for England and Wales (aimed at providing direction and leadership to enable system operators to understand best practice and demonstrate compliance with the principles of the surveillance camera code of practice and any associated guidance)

• work with the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) to promote transparency of its use across all forces to provide greater clarity on governance arrangements and consideration of the legislative framework to support ANPR

Surveillance Camera Commissioner Tony Porter said:

Yet again it’s been an incredibly busy and challenging year. I’ve continued to see lots of great examples of good practice from relevant authorities and those who fall outside the scope of this definition.

The completion rates of my self assessment tool amongst local authorities has been astounding at around 85%. Equally there is room for improvement and I’m determined to continue my push to raise standards across the industry. This is what the national surveillance camera strategy precisely sets out to do.