UK town adds more cams to CCTV system

Community support officers monitor Wigan's CCTV system

Wigan Council has had 33 Pelco Esprit cameras, supplied by Norbain, added to their already extensive CCTV system to ensure that they are using the most up to date technology to monitor activity in the city centre. The new cameras have proved very simple to operate and form an important tool in the fight against crime.

Wigan is currently undergoing a multi-million pound refurbishment and an essential part of this new scheme is ensuring that people feel safe in the area. One part of the solution comes in the form of CCTV. There are currently 550 cameras in operation across the borough, with continual additions and improvements being made.

In the town centre itself, Terry Bolton, principle officer for Wigan Council, wanted to update the existing kit which was rather complex to operate and had become expensive to maintain.

"We were especially keen to make zooming and focusing easier so that operators could more effectively track suspects," he explained.

Installers Unique Integrated Systems Ltd (UIS) were called in to advise on the project.

"UIS have been the Council Approved Supplier for almost seven years now and the relationship we’ve built up over the years means that we know they’ll give us excellent advice and service," said Bolton.

The Council has a policy of trialing their CCTV equipment before it’s purchased.

"Dome cameras were initially trialed for the job, but it was found that blind spots prevented them from getting the best view of the surrounding area. The Esprit cameras offer us an overt solution to CCTV," Bolton said. "People don’t know where the dome cameras are looking, but this is obvious with the Esprit cameras and we’ve found this to be more of a deterrent."

The control room has an impressive wall of rear screen projection units along with individual Samsung and Bosch flat screen monitors.