Salisbury Council may invest $100,00 in a CCTV camera expansion

In an effort to stop hooning and graffiti a council is considering spending $100k to extend its CCTV network, following a trial which had “limited” effect.

Salisbury Council may spend a further $100,000 to expand its CCTV network despite a ten-month portable trial which “displaced” crime into other areas.

The council’s $65,000 trial of eight cameras across 26 sites, from April to December last year, was an attempt to crack down on illegal dumping, graffiti and hoon driving which is happening across “many parts of the city”, an evaluative council report stated.

Salisbury Council may spend $100,000 on an expanded CCTV network. Picture: Che Chorley

An evaluation of the trial in known hot spots found:

• Anti-social behaviour was often “displaced” to other nearby locations and “resumption of target behaviours at some sites when CCTV cameras were removed”.

• Increases in target behaviour in some areas.

• Three instances of illegal dumping were unable to be investigated further as images could not capture a licence plate, the plates were obscured or headlights affected vision.

• Seven hoon driving incidents were recorded but images were “similarly affected”.

• A number of incidents were successfully prosecuted.

• Two incidents were referred to police, including the destruction of CCTV equipment which has informed an ongoing police investigations into illegal street racing.

Staff say CCTV “may have limited effectiveness in reducing special anti-social behaviours”, but is likely to improve perceptions of community safety.

The trial was limited due to higher definition CCTV units not being available, the report found.

However, staff say the placement of cameras may shift “undesired behaviours to different locations without addressing the root cause of those behaviours”.

“Their effectiveness in reducing criminal offending and anti-social behaviours is limited, short term and may displace problematic behaviour to nearby areas,” the report stated.

“Site observations and resident/business survey responses indicate that a degree of displacement of hoon driving, illegal dumping and graffiti behaviours to adjacent areas occurred at some sites when the CCTV cameras were in place – often resuming once the cameras had been removed.”

One of the CCTV cameras used by Salisbury Council in Paralowie. Picture: Chad Buchanan.

The report revealed it cost ratepayers $30,000 in staff costs over the length of the trial, including 416 hours spent reviewing and following up on the 16,358 alerts sent from the eight units.

Deputy Mayor Chad Buchanan said the trial was popular but they were easily identifiable, using “big yellow cages... (which) offenders could clearly see”.

“We need to use a mix of CCTV that is more discreet and some permanent CCTV in dumping and hoon hot spots in industrial areas,” Cr Buchanan said.

“Residents have a right to feel safe in their streets from hoons, and not have their reserves used as a dumping ground by illegal dumpers.”

The council will now consider $100,000 for the 2021/20 budget to fund an upgrade and expansion of the council’s CCTV network.