Anti-social behaviour has severe impacts on communities, find out how mobile CCTV can effectively reduce ASB and increase prosecution rates.
Anti-social behaviour is a behaviour by a person which causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to persons not of the same household as the person.
This covers crime like fly-tipping, rowdy neighbours, street drinking and begging.
Recent research found that 59.9% of people say that more needs to be done to tackle anti-social behaviour (ASB).
Local Authorities, the Police and Housing Associations, to name a few, are faced with an uphill battle to manage ASB and improve safety amongst communities.
Covering such a broad range of crimes, those tasked with tackling ASB are stretched with both budgets and resources, making management complex and causing community tension.
Due to the challenges faced, many Public Sector organisations are turning to mobile CCTV based on the cost-effective, flexible solution they offer in reducing ASB.
Why are Public Sector Organisations Turning to Mobile CCTV to Help Reduce ASB?
ASB impacts your community, from households and businesses to public spaces and the environment, with around 16% of people having previously considered moving due to this.
In fact, most recent statistics showed 6.3% actually moved home because of the impact ASB was having on their lives.
It can create unsafe environments, increase violence within the community and decrease property values, all of which cause tension amongst residents, visitors and those responsible in managing this.
Although ASB figures have declined over the last year, the impact faced from such crime continues to have a rippling effect on those areas most affected by it.
For many communities, ASB has debilitating impacts and has become overwhelming to both prevent and manage this effectively in order to avoid such issues. Hence why many Public Sector are turning to mobile CCTV to provide them with that additional support.
As much as the Police and other supporting sectors continue to develop new and efficient ways for tackling ASB, mobile CCTV remains to be considered the best, most effective response tool for responding to such crime.
With growing funding opportunities such as Safer Streets, more Public Sector organisations are able to access financial backing to purchase mobile CCTV, a proven tool at protecting against ASB.
Past funding has shown success when Public Sector organisations have proposed mobile CCTV due to the numerous benefits provided in tackling ASB, specifically their cost efficiencies.
How Mobile CCTV Helps Effectively Reduce ASB
Most Public Sector organisations rely on funding to implement additional support on crime like ASB, and this will often involve a tendering process to be completed as part of this.
You’ll need to be able to provide evidence within your tender in order to prove to those offering the funding that you require it and that the proposed solutions will benefit in reducing ASB.
However, to do this, you need to be aware of how mobile CCTV can help effectively reduce ASB, so that you can present this within a proposal, win bids and implement such measures.
Acts as a Visible Deterrent
Mobile CCTV units can be placed at ASB hotspots, where their simple presence can visibly deter criminals from committing any illegal activities at those locations.
Would-be criminals will view mobile CCTV cameras as an obstacle and fear the risk of being captured on video and having their identity revealed. This alone is likely to be off-putting to them.
This visible deterrence can be enhanced through signage, indicating the presence of live CCTV and criminal liabilities for ASB.
Also, certain mobile surveillance systems such as CCTV Towers are designed specifically to provide advanced visible deterrence, often standing tall and being bright in colour to help make their presence known further.
For ASB crimes like fly-tipping, offenders will often seek quiet, rural locations due to the assumed lack of security in those spaces.
Cost-Effective, Without Lowering Security Standards
Mobile CCTV can save up to 88% in security costs in comparison to alternative solutions.
Their mobility and all-in-one offering help to reduce the need for multiple suppliers whilst still ensuring high-quality security coverage.
With budgets stretched for most Public Sector organisations responsible for managing ASB, mobile CCTV is a popular solution due to its high success rate and low costs, making them enticing options for tender proposals.
And with previous reports showing the cost to Government agencies responding to reports of ASB totalling £3.4 billion per year, any crime prevention helps to recoup costs and reduce the financial impact.
Easily Relocatable to New ASB Hotspots
Like they say in their name, mobile CCTV are portable units that can be relocated across various ASB hotspots, depending on your requirements.
ASB covers a broad range of crimes and any additional support needs to be able to monitor various locations and cannot be permanently attached to one location.
Mobile CCTV tends to be easily relocatable, allowing you to stay on top of emerging threats and transition them to known or new hotspots in order to prevent and reduce crime from taking place there.
They allow you to be agile in your crime response, which permanent systems wouldn’t be able to offer.
Improves Public Confidence
ASB crime can lead to communities facing severe emotional and physical damage, creating distrust, fear and a lack of safety within their area.
For some individuals, ASB crime can prevent them from continuing their daily lives such as, discouraging them from their local shops or from going out in the evenings.
In order for communities to feel safer, organisations need to be proactive in their response to both reduce crime and to show residents and visitors that there are efforts being made to improve safety.
Implementing mobile CCTV across your area is providing a community with commitment, and this commitment combined with successful results will improve public confidence.
Versatile Coverage
As mentioned, ASB covers a range of crimes and there are very few security options which will be versatile enough to be used as prevention against multiple of these issues.
However, due to this, investing in multiple surveillance and monitoring measures can become expensive and this can lower your chances of funding.
Mobile CCTV provides a flexible solution that works effectively to reduce various ASB crimes, making them the most versatile options for Public Sector organisations to invest in.
Those with additional enhancement options like ANPR integrations, mobile CCTV coverage can be enhanced further without the need to seek support from another provider.
Encourages Multi-Agency Collaboration
Multiple Public Sector organisations will be responsible for preventing and managing ASB crime, and to effectively reduce this, they need to work together to establish the best approach for the future.
Mobile CCTV can track patterns, identify repeat offenders and establish times/locations where crimes commonly occur.
This information can be gathered by various organisations and placed together to understand the main ASB issues present in the area, where they occur and common factors related to this.
Once collected, agencies can work together to create security plans that help to futureproof the area and target any solution to prevent them from happening. As such, encouraging multi-agency collaboration.
Collects Evidence For Criminal Proceedings
Mobile CCTV records events and gathers vital evidence to support in legal prosecution.
Advanced systems will be fitted with high-quality, IR PTZ (Pan, Tilt, Zoom) cameras that ensure crystal clear imagery, even in the dark, fog and mist.
This footage can be utilised by Police to identify any offenders and issue them with the appropriate response like, criminal prosecution or fine.
Live Monitors to Ensure Real-Time Responses
Working retrospectively creates complexities with ASB crimes as most will often be committed under cover of darkness or at a location/time where capture is less likely.
Therefore, to best prevent ASB and provide organisations with the best chance of active crime interception, mobile CCTV is the most effective option at offering this.
With advanced systems often backed by remote monitoring services, they are monitored off-site by a centre of trained professionals who track, assess and respond to threats at that moment.
Responses can range from live audio challenges to calling Police to the scene when necessary, and following this, you’ll usually be offered a full incident report that allows you to investigate the crime thoroughly.
Key Features to Look for in Mobile CCTV to Reduce ASB
Generally, mobile CCTV offers various benefits that help to effectively reduce ASB and other crimes.
However, to maximise your protection against ASB, improve community safety and reduce figures, you must ensure you include the correct mobile CCTV within your proposal, otherwise you may be unsuccessful in winning the bid.
There are key features you should be looking for:
- Visual and Audio Deterrent Features - Including sirens, live audio challenge capabilities and bold design to help scare any potential offenders and provide enhanced prevention.
- Advanced Camera Technology - From infrared cameras to PTZ capabilities, consider your community needs and the location of ASB hotspots, in case there are any specific requirements.
- Control Room Integration - Allows you to connect your existing security network to your mobile CCTV unit to provide seamless security coverage, with minimal operational disruption.
- Relocatable Design - ASB hotspots will change and develop, so in order to effectively reduce this, you need your system to provide complete mobility and power autonomy.
- Camera Add-ons - Mobile CCTV alone is beneficial, however, having the ability for ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras, remote CCTV monitoring and AI video analytics to be added onto this refines your response and increases effectiveness.
- Multiple Powering Options - Some hotspots are in remote, rural locations where there is a lack of power or internet. You need to ensure your mobile CCTV has multiple powering options that can be tailored to your needs, so that you can be covered at any location type.
Why Choose WCCTV’s Mobile Security Solutions for ASB Reduction
Our mobile CCTV solutions are backed by a best-in-class, fully-managed security service that helps boost public safety and secure your community against the debilitating impacts of ASB.
A small lapse in surveillance could create costly consequences, so we work innovatively to provide beyond the expected capabilities of mobile CCTV itself, from installing your system to providing ongoing customer care and technical support.
This helps to minimise downtime and reduce ASB crimes within your area by combining our mobile security solutions with over 20-years of expertise.
But don’t just take our word for it, take the word of our clients.
Durham Constabulary faced numerous challenges in the town of Newton Aycliffe, with problems having become so extensive that parts of the town had been branded as 'no-go' areas, and residents were left fearing for their safety.
In order to prevent and reduce this risk, they deployed 5 of our Redeployable CCTV Cameras to provide both a bold criminal deterrence and to live monitor any location for incidents of ASB.
During the trial period alone, our cameras were shown to have contributed to a 50% reduction in reported crime rates across the town.
Durham Police and Crime Commissioner, Joy Allen also added: “I am delighted to see excellent partnership working and cooperation delivering such positive results.
"These new cameras will undoubtedly make the communities of Newton Aycliffe safer and more secure and I hope other towns and partnerships will follow Newton Aycliffe's lead.”
Our Redeployable CCTV has supported Police and Local Authorities to manage crime through their complete mobility, cost-effectivity, advanced AI video analytics, high-quality camera technology and varying power options.
Looking for support with a future Safer Streets proposal? Speak with us about how our mobile CCTV solutions can support you.