Making communities safer with new crime tool

The Liberal National Government has committed an extra $7 million in the 2015-16 State Budget to facilitate an integrated closed circuit TV (CCTV) network in a bid to make Geraldton safer. 

Geraldton MLA Ian Blayney said the funding would implement the State CCTV Strategy, delivering the Liberal National Government’s election commitment to pioneer an integrated State CCTV network and to fund extra cameras in crime hotspots.  This brings the total investment to $8.5 million following a $1.5million allocation in the last two years. 

Mr Blayney said a more integrated network could be a potential game changer in preventing and prosecuting crime in Geraldton. 

“This will work on several levels - police can assess crime jobs in Geraldton almost immediately, use the vision to prosecute offenders and deter criminal behaviour,” Mr Blayney said. 

“The money will fund councils to buy cameras and CCTV equipment, while the balance will link the cameras together and allow police to access them,” Mr Blayney said

The draft CCTV strategy released earlier this year provided the blueprint about how the Government, local government and the private sector could join together to achieve this through effective use of integrated technology. 

“This Government is committed to making Geraldtonsafer through tough laws and police resources and CCTV has been a great tool in both preventing and solving crime,” Mr Blayney said. 

“This camera network will allow police to access any internet-based CCTV system which is part of the network and view in real time the pictures being recorded.”