The Community Safety Partnership has sent me a leaflet on Home CCTV that others may find useful:

 

INSTALLATION

This leaflet is a guide for those wanting to install

a closed circuit television (CCTV) system at home.

If you install a CCTV system on your residential property, you are not going to be affected by the Data Protection Act. This is because CCTV used for protecting your home is exempt.

You must respect your neighbour’s right to

privacy; CCTV should not be directed into

someone else’s home or property. If you misuse your CCTV system, you could face criminal or civil consequences. As a general rule, a home CCTV system should only monitor your own property and the private land surrounding it. It is also permitted to view the public highway beyond for the purpose of monitoring your own vehicle.

Using CCTV to invade another person’s privacy could be deemed as harassment which is

a criminal/civil offence. Using CCTV images

for voyeuristic or antisocial purposes are also offences that could be dealt with under criminal law. If you intend to install CCTV, it is courteous

to discuss this with your neighbour.

Should your neighbours have concerns then

letting them see the images the cameras

are taking may help put their mind at rest.

Further concerns are a civil matter. In certain

cases this may form part of a police investigation,

but as a rule this is a civil matter which requires advice from a solicitor or your local Citizen’s

Advice Bureau.

 

RECOGNITION AND IDENTIFICATION

Before installing CCTV you should consider what it is you are trying to achieve.

Where you fit the cameras will depend on the purpose. Is it simply a visible deterrent, or would you intend for your images to be accepted as evidence in court?

Some home CCTV systems are set up in a way that allows recognition.

This size of CCTV images allows you to see the actions of a person, for example, seeing someone damaging your property. It may allow you some recognition

of the person; however it is very unlikely this

size of image would be acceptable as evidence

of identity in court.

The best systems allow for identification.

This size of the CCTV image allows you to

see in more detail the actions of a person,

but more importantly it is of a size that can be used to identify a person in court. The best way to ensure you are able to achieve identification sized images is to focus cameras on very specific areas. Narrow areas through which

a person must pass, for example alleyways, doors or gateways are ideal for this purpose. Ensure the cameras are not mounted so high

that they are looking down onto the subject.

When positioning the system you should

consider; would your CCTV positioning allow

for the reasonable identification of a person?

 

SIGNS

A business or public body installing CCTV that is able to recognise a person must make it clear to all persons in the CCTV area that CCTV cameras are recording. Home users do not need to make the public aware.

However, informing people they are entering an area covered by CCTV is strongly advised and may help should a claim be made that you are using your system inappropriately.

Signs informing people they are entering an area covered by CCTV may help deter individuals from committing offences against you or your property.

 

If you have general queries regarding
home CCTV installation you should speak to businesses that specialise in this.

Hart & Rushmoor CCTV enquiries
01252 398399 | www.rushmoor.gov.uk

 

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