1. Running Head: USING TECHNOLOGY BY LAW ENFORCEMENT 1
Using Video Surveillance Technology by Law Enforcement
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Using Video Surveillance Technology by Law Enforcement
Over the last decade, technology has been improved at an extraordinary rate reaching an
advanced level. Virtually all departments in different countries utilize one or two concepts of
technology. Among the societal aspects is security, which calls for an urgent and appropriate
action. Security is one major challenge in many nations, especially the developed ones that are
still looking up to exploring other sectors with an aim of maintaining their current level.
Technological development is evident in many areas, with different people having access to the
knowledge. Research shows that currently, the most threatening and troublesome thugs have
advanced knowledge in technology (Ratcliffe, 2006). The same is true with other criminals like
drug barons. Other individuals who have advanced and improved the application of
technological knowledge are serial killers in different states and nations. Others are terrorists
who have also devised a means of tracking their enemies. Research reveals that the former
Western enemy, the late Osama Bin Laden had a lot of technological knowhow and could easily
locate his enemies and bring them down at his own time. If it were not for his smartness in
technology, reaching the World Trade Center would have remained a dream (Dempsey, 2010).
Amidst the well-trained US security personnel, he managed to bring down a big part of the great
New York City down leaving many people dead and injured. For this reason, security
organizations and personnel have taken a step to come up with appropriate and relevant ways of
curbing criminal activities and ensuring that state laws or constitutions are followed to the latter.
This essay will look into one of the mostly used technology by most law enforcement personnel
or police officers, Video surveillance (Ratcliffe, 2006). Video surveillance is mainly done using
the device commonly known as CCTV (Closed Circuit Television).
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CCTVs have become common device or necessity in public places such as city or town
streets where pedestrians walk, public or national parks, parking areas, hotels and cafeterias,
public transport areas such as airports, stadiums, movie theatres, learning institutions and big or
executive offices. CCTV is a system whereby a given number of video cameras are placed
strategically and connected in a closed loop or circuit.
Current CCTV installations have cameras that are connected to control rooms where
individual operators watch televisions keeping the track of all the processes that take place
within the boundary of the location or area being surveyed. Many of the CCTVs are equipped
with recording facilities or selected images within the focus. The devices are also equipped with
image multiplex recording system, whereby camera-to-camera switching of images is possible
enabling one tape to see or read every camera in a rotating style. The devices also have systems
whereby digital technology is employed in recording the images from the several cameras once.
An operator has the ability to tilt, pan, as well as, zoom many of the cameras. With the
advancement and development in technology, the cameras characterized with full range of
control and movement, are preferred in most cases. They enhance the quality of the image
viewed from a given point (Dempsey & Forst, 2011).
In law enforcement agencies, CCTV system of monitoring or investigating criminal
activities is categorized into two major systems known as active and passive systems. In active
systems, an individual is employed to monitor series of displays on the screen in real time. In
active systems, CCTVs are placed in public arenas with no one viewing, and the video is
replayed in case a criminal activity occurrence within the area under supervision. Active systems
is usually used in areas such as supermarkets where monitoring of people’s movements and
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actions is necessary to curb theft (Ratcliffe, 2006). Usually the systems are hybrid recording
almost all images. The operator scans all the images from one monitor to the other, concentrating
on important or required images and ignoring others. With the increased use of CCTVs, many
public order crimes come to the notice of police officers who react by taking the appropriate
constitutional measures.
How CCTVs are used in Law Enforcement Practices
CCTV systems are not physical barriers. They never limit access to some areas,
make an individual difficult to rob or assault, or make it difficult to steal an object. This,
however, does not imply that the device is not a definite example of situational crime prevention
techniques. CCTVs may have several functions, but the core function is triggering perceptual
mechanism any potential offender. The device seeks the perception of the offender and he or she
realizes that he/she will be caught in case he/she misbehaves or commits a crime. In short, the
device seeks to increase the risk of capture. The technique assumes that the offender is behaving
in a rational manner, thus, de-motivating any other potential offender. Two elements must be
present to ensure that the crime prevention process using CCTV succeeds. First, the offender
must be aware that there is a camera within his/her physical location. Secondly, the offender
must have a belief that the placed CCTV cameras present many risks of capture negating the
rewards of an intended crime (Ratcliffe, 2006). Elaborating on the first element, a CCTV is stem
in a town center where criminal activities have become regular and common among the town
dwellers. Crime prevention using the device will work accordingly if the offenders are aware that
their steps and activities within the town are being watched somewhere.
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Research evidence shows that even though implementers try their best to install the
systems, place a signage, encourage publicity campaigns, there is still a high chance that not the
entire population within the place being monitored will have awareness of the cameras. Research
done in the City of Glasgow Scotland confirmed this after the installation of 32 cameras within
the city center and city dwellers interviewed. It was found that only 41% of those interviewed
were aware of the cameras in town. According to the second mechanism, CCTVs have a greater
potential of reducing crime (Dempsey & Forst, 2011). The cameras may assist in detecting and
arresting offenders. The process will require prompt response from police officers to any
significant incidents that might have been pinpointed by the camera operators. This system has a
shortcoming in that incarcerated offenders must be prevented from committing other crimes.
Offenders may also learn types of incidences that will call for police response as well as the
speed of the response. From this, it is arguably true that availability of local resources is an
important factor for the success of this crime mechanism control system (Ratcliffe, 2006).
Another important factor to consider when using this device is that its ability to curb or reduce
crime level is usually less convincing. It is arguably less effective way of reducing crime rates
within a given area. For instance, the role of the cameras is identifying the criminals, and not
punishing them. Due to this, most areas where the CCTVs are available have been supplied by
fulltime police surveillance. In case of any incidence reported by the camera operators, the police
officers ensure they respond as fast as they can to capture the offender and follow the legal
procedure of dealing with them. With this, criminal rates have reduced in most areas where the
CCTV cameras have been used. The first element suggested that there must be awareness in the
offenders their steps are monitored by somebody somewhere (Ratcliffe, 2006). The operators and
law enforcement agencies have taken advantage of this, and some have started using fake
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CCTVs to reduce cost and crime at the same time. This has succeeded in many areas since there
is always a very low possibility that the individual offenders will detect or sense that the CCTV
used is faked or not. Risking is also not a good option for them. In this case, some criminals will
commit their unlawful activities but police officers will catch some. The officers will state that
the CCTV had detected the individual criminal, which may be fake. From this, other offenders
will be cautioned and avoid criminal activities. Virtually all of them will believe that the CCTV
is operational and effective. CCTVs have reduced criminal rates through this principle in several
big cities. No criminal will be happy or confident to commit a crime when others are watching
and he is aware of this. Only those who do not know that they are being watched will commit the
crimes (Reichart, 2001).
Another factor being considered by criminal investigation agencies is the effectiveness of
the technology is the nature or type of crime being tackled or reduced. CCTV systems may have
the ability of reducing burglary in certain areas but with some crimes, it becomes a challenge to
curb successfully the practice. Some crimes like drug dealing may be very hard to control or stop
using CCTV cameras (Ratcliffe, 2006). At one point, drug barons may meet to discuss the
process of carrying out their transactions; at another point, the barons may meet to carry out their
business. First, it becomes difficult for the cameras to identify the topic of discussion between
two individuals at a distance. They may plan their activities and carry them out at another
location with no cameras or with cameras as well. Their actions will be difficult to identify.
However, with the increased security and technical personnel training, it has become easy to the
viewers or CCTV operators to reduce criminal rate by observing the behaviors of people whose
images are captured by the cameras. Psychological observation of an individual is necessary to
indentify or suspect a criminal.
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Despite certain disadvantages, the device has considerably reduced criminal rates to the
lowest level possible. Many large cities such as New York, Washington DC, Toronto, London,
and Johannesburg are currently under CCTV surveillance and criminal rates have greatly been
reduced. The areas were initially dangerous spots for crimes. CCTV also acts as a protective
measure watching over the people and protecting them over any incoming enemy that might
harm them. An example is derived from the US attention and fight against the terrorist groups
from the Middle East for instance, the Al Qaeda group that has proven to be a threat to their
peace and development.
CCTVs help in police investigation in several other ways. Various CCTVs can aid in the
conviction of a captured offender. For instance, camera footage can help in identifying a
potential witness or witnesses who may not volunteer and come to police. The cameras are
always compelling and convincing (Reichart, 2001). After the affirmation that the individual
captured actually committed the stated crime, legal processes will take place and criminal
activities will undoubtedly reduce. In case of a prompt response by the police such that the
offender does not leave the crime site, the recoding of the incidence can assist the investigators
in gaining conviction through guilty plea. Another point to note is that the potential or possibility
to assist in the investigations by police officers may indisputably drive away offenders from
committing the intended offences at that time since they will automatically run a big risk of
being captured.
CCTVs are also used for management of places. The cameras are used for monitoring
traffic flows, demonstrations, and public meetings. These areas or activities may require police
other additional police resources (Reichart, 2001). In addition, to note is that assault and
mistreatment of police officers by the public or criminals have been greatly reduced because of
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the application of CCTVs. The cameras have aided in knowing the situation in areas where
demonstrations or wars have broken out. This way, the rate of assault and deaths of police
officers in the hands of the public have been minimized to the lowest level possible. In addition
to the above, CCTV cameras can be used in gathering intelligence and monitoring their
behaviors of identified known offenders in public places, for instance, it can monitor the
movements and behaviors of known shoplifters in public places. After the identification of a
criminal or offenders, the cameras become a potential and reliable way of monitoring his/her
movements and activities in a less intrusive manner compared to deployment of plain cloth
police officers for investigation practices. After gathering the used by the offenders, the police
officers can interdict in a more organized and planned manner to capture the offender. Outside
the criminal or security departments, CCTVs can also be used in giving information to doctors in
hospitals. An example is whereby a war victim is taken in for treatment. It may be difficult for
the doctors to identify the problems that the victim suffered during the war. Replaying the video
taken by the camera aids the doctors in viewing and knowing the patient problem, hence
appropriate and relevant treatment process.
Despite the above advantages, CCTVs also pose a great challenge to the public, in
general. First, its presence creates the fear of insecurity among the public. When people within a
given commercial center hear or are made aware of CCTV camera installation, will naturally
suspect the existence of thugs or thieves within the region. Another shortcoming is that it violates
individual right to privacy. The cameras are placed in a manner that the operators have the ability
to see what everyone, within the focus, is doing, contrary to what is expressed in the constitution
guaranteeing all citizens right to privacy.
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From the above descriptions, it is evidently true that CCTV technology has aided a lot in
reducing criminal activities in many areas. The success of the technology is mainly based on the
concept and assumption that all people within a given region are aware of the CCTV presence.
However, just like other devices, the cameras have disadvantages in their use as described above.
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References
Dempsey, J. (2010). Introduction to Private Security. Boston, Massachusetts, MA: Cengage
Learning. (Dempsey, 2010)
Dempsey, J. & Forst, L. (2011). An introduction to Policing. Boston, Massachusetts, MA:
Cengage Learning.
Ratcliffe, J. (2006).Video Surveillance of Public Places. New York, NY: SAGE Publishers.
Reichart, K. (2001).Use of information technology by Law Enforcement. New York, NY: Wiley
and Sons.
