CCTV and Retail Radio
CCTV (Closed Circuit Television)
The role of CCTV is to help reduce crime in the borough. It is used to assist the police and other enforcement agencies to identify offenders and collect evidence of crimes, reduce vandalism, graffiti and other criminal damage and to support the emergency services. All cameras are operated in accordance with the Data Commission's data principles and our CCTV Code of Practice.
The CCTV Control Room
Staff at the CCTV control room currently monitor over 1000 cameras on the streets and in housing estates with links established with Southside Shopping Centre, St George's Hospital in Tooting and train operating company cameras on mainline stations.
We use CCTV with the retail radio schemes in each town centre to provide a safer shopping and working environment. The retail radio schemes put retailers in radio contact with the Police and are managed by Community Safety. The local police control room has full access to any pictures available to the council control room.
Code of practice
The Council, in close liaison with local police, are required by the Data Commissioner to produce a CCTV Code of Practice for the operation of its CCTV cameras.
CCTV procedure for the release of evidence
Under the terms of data protection legislation you are entitled to access CCTV footage of which you are the subject, providing:
- The request is made in writing, accompanied by a copy of your driving licence OR passport and a utility bill.
- An administration fee of £10 is paid for each individual search.
- The data controller is supplied with sufficient information to satisfy him or herself as to the identity of the person making the request.
- The person making the request provides sufficient and accurate information about the time, date and place to enable the data controller to locate the information that that person seeks. (It is recognised that a person making a request is unlikely to know the precise time. Under those circumstances it is suggested that within one hour would be a reasonable accuracy requirement).
You will not be entitled to receive data that is being held:
- For the prevention or detection of crime.
- For the apprehension or prosecution of offenders.
- If giving you the information would be likely to prejudice any of these purposes.
How to request access to CCTV footage
If you wish to access CCTV footage please fill out CCTV subject access request form, which can be downloaded from the Related Downloads area. Make sure you follow the instructions carefully, and return it to the given address.
Process of disclosure
The data controller will:
- Verify the accuracy of the request.
- Replay the data only to the person requesting it (or a responsible person acting on behalf of the person making the request).
The viewing will take place in a separate room and not in the control or monitoring area. Only data that is specific to the search request shall be shown and it must not be possible to identify any other individual from the information being shown. (Any such information will be blanked out, either by means of electronic screening or manual editing on the monitor screen.)
