CCTV Van’s debut - Leigh-on-Sea

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Picture: Inspector David Gardiner and Southend Community Policing Team

SOUTHEND Council used the Easter Bank Holiday Monday as an opportunity to roll out its new CCTV van.

The new mobile CCTV unit is owned and operated by the council’s CCTV Control Room, and is equipped with four external digital cameras alongside one dome camera on top.

Barry Davis, surveillance operations manager, who oversees the running of the CCTV Control Room, which runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, said: “The £2.2m CCTV upgrade and growth of the Townlink radio system, the fastest growing radio service in England, means our CCTV van will be part of a huge well established network, consisting of multiple partners and agencies.

“We have 176 active users on our Townlink radio system consisting of police, BID rangers, community safety officers and businesses.

“This provides quicker responses and resolutions and is a great example of partnership working. Our CCTV operatives feed off intel and the more we are given the more proactive we can be, highlighting how much stronger and safer we are, when we all work together to keep everyone safe.

“We will also look to share the CCTV van with the police and other local authorities across our region, especially when there are big events taking place such festivals and large gatherings that would benefit from the support of a mobile CCTV unit.”

The van was funded by a government grant secured by Essex Police on behalf of the council.

Picture: Inspector David Gardiner and Southend Community Policing Team

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