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Crime
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CRIME FIGHT ON CAMERA

Crime
by Jesse Riseborough

May 26, 2003

A REVOLUTIONARY new camera surveillance system being trialed in the City of Stirling will greatly assist WA police in fighting crime and could be used throughout WA by the end of next year, according to Telemetric Media Information managing director Mervyn Dobbins.

The city-wide network of cameras installed on light poles allows a mobile officer to patrol a vast territory and to call for attendance without physically attending the scene.

The technology also allows police to place a virtual tag on stolen or suspicious vehicles, which enable them to track a vehicle through the suburbs using a network of cameras.

It is also capable of recognising false security alarms. Currently, 98 per cent of all alarms are false, allowing police to focus on more important tasks.

Despite the successful launch of the surveillance system in the City of Stirling earlier this month, there are no plans for the technology to be used at the City of Melville.

"The City of Melville has not been approached by Telemetric Media Information with regards to the installation of wireless cameras to track crime operations or any other matter in our district," Planning and Development Services executive manager Craig McClure said.

The council would not consider the technology until areas such as Garden City pose a significant crime risk.

"Presently, the City of Melville does not have a high crime rate in a commercially dense area. It would not be appropriate to install these types of devices where it is likely that the invasion of privacy will override the capacity to solve crime," Mr McClure said.

Osborne Park-based Telemetric Media Information hoped the system would soon be implemented around the country, with trials also taking place on the east coast.

"Since we began demonstrating our products after the launch of the company in Stirling last year, there has been keen interest locally interstate and overseas," said TMI's Mervyn Dobbins.