Closed-circuit television in Daventry town centre, UK

Closed-circuit television (CCTV) was installed for the first time in Daventry, a market town in western North-amptonshire, during 2001. The system, which benefited from a substantial Home Office grant under the Crime Reduction Programme, was installed by Daventry District Council following the inclusion of the project in the area's crime and disorder strategy. The design of the scheme was based on research carried out by the Home Office and experience gathered from other local authorities. In presenting the history of the scheme, this paper seeks to address the policy background to the provision of CCTV, and also to provide some suggestions for practising engineers who are faced with the task of providing public area CCTV, perhaps for the first time in their area. It also addresses legal and technical issues faced by this type of scheme, and discusses the relationship between the design of CCTV systems, civil engineering and civil engineers.