CCTV stems crime wave

Security cameras have cut Bunbury’s antisocial crime by half.

The city is also leading the way in WA in the use of CCTV, according to a Statewide audit.

The Office of the Auditor General’s report on the use of CCTV, tabled in Parliament on Wednesday, praised the city for the effectiveness of its ‘‘eyes in the sky’’.

‘‘PTA (Public Transport Authority) and the City of Bunbury can clearly demonstrate positive impacts from police responses to CCTV intelligence including a 50 per cent reduction in assaults on trains and a similar reduction in disorderly conduct in targeted areas of Bunbury,’’ Acting Auditor General Glen Clarke said.

City manager of community law and safety John Kowal said there were 22 cameras in the CBD.

‘‘We commenced installation in 1998 with approximately three cameras at that time to upgrade security in our car parks and then we’ve progressed from there,’’ Mr Kowal said

The CCTV infrastructure network, worth about $500,000, has been used to combat crime in the CBD through a close partnership with local police.

‘‘ Police have used the CCTV in a court situation and have been successful in a number of different situations,’’ he said.

He said an operator would man the CCTV screens during the peak times of Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and has a direct communication line with police should their help be needed.

South West District Police Supt Lawrence Panaia said in some cases, where a move-on notice had been issued in the CBD, a CCTV operator could ensure that they left the city.

‘‘In some cases we’ve had the CCTV operator watch a person who has been given a move-on notice walk around the corner and changed their shirt and walk back into the city,’’ he said.

‘‘We’ve then been able to issue them with a breach.’’

Mr Kowal said Federal and State funding has meant the city has upgraded their system from analogue to digital CCTV.

Police are able to view the CCTV footage at any time as the system is accessible from the Bunbury station.