Police cuts hit CCTV team

10:33am Tuesday 18th September 2007

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The number of police CCTV operators is to be slashed by almost half - as part of a bid to cut police budgets by £10 million.

More than 360 cameras in Sussex will be monitored by just 20 people, almost half the current level of 35 operators, as 58 police staff lose their jobs next year.

The cuts, agreed last week, are part of the latest package of savings that will also see a further five forensics staff and 13 crime prevention posts axed.

Police say they have been forced to make the cuts due to a lack of Government funding but officers have warned that any further redundancies could damage services.

Sussex Police said the savings, totalling £1.2 million, will mean it has achieved its objective of balancing the books next year.

It will then have to find another £4 million of savings by 2010.

Staff were informed of the deal to shed 15 CCTV staff on Wednesday.

Monitor suites in Eastbourne and Bognor will close.

They will be "controlled remotely" by operators in Brighton and Haywards Heath who will then have to keep track of 364 cameras 24 hours a day.

This is double their previous workload.

At the same time about £1 million will be spent upgrading the suites from video to digital.

Chris Oswick, police spokesman, said: "Although we see these cameras operating every day they are not all being watched all the time.

"Operators are scanning through them all and are highly trained to react to an event as it happens, but they are often, for example, alerted by a 999 call.

"I'm sure when the technology is in it will be able to do all kinds of things we can't at the moment. The reality is we have to make these savings and we're determined to make them without losing frontline officers.

"This is one of the things we feel needs to happen.

"Introducing digital will put us in a better position to keep up with future developments like smart cameras that look after themselves."

Crime prevention posts will be shed as part of the cuts, despite assurances from Lionel Barnard, chairman of Sussex Police Authority, that the force's commitment to community and Neighbourhood Watch policing remains undiminished.

Neighbourhood Specialist Teams will co-ordinate operations in each district with fewer staff between them to advise on home security and community issues.

Scene of crime officers (SOCOs) currently based in Eastbourne will be transferred to Brighton, with five posts lost.

Nick Herbert, Arundel and South Downs MP and Shadow Secretary of State for Justice, said: "What I think this shows is the way policing is being squeezed.

"We've already had cuts in police community support officers for Sussex - 171 that we were promised that we won't be getting - now we are seeing them forced to make other cutbacks.

"We all support the police authority in making sure the force runs efficiently but we still want to make sure that these cuts do not lead to a reduction in community surveillance and deterrents."

Police said they hoped that redeployment and retirements would keep redundancies to a minimum.

Brian Stockham, chairman of the Sussex Police Federation, said: "Effectively cuts have to be made. We're aware of other forces around the country where officer numbers have been lost, which is drastic.

"CCTV is the latest tool but we have managed in the past without it.

"What we can't do without is officers on the streets."

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