Teachers are doubtful about the CCTV cameras installed for surveillance in schools

Many primary and secondary teachers in the state and private schools across the UK are worried about hidden surveillance cameras in their schools.

 

According to the survey nearly 10% out of 249 primary & secondary school teachers say that CCTV is operating in toilets and around one quarter are worried about the hidden CCTV cameras installed in the school buildings.

 

The survey, conducted by the Association of Teachers and Lectures (ATL), found that most of the CCTV cameras in schools cover the grounds and entrances to building, although 85% of schools have CCTV in their buildings.

 

As per the survey more than half of the teachers (52.9%) say that they feel safe, the general view was that the surveillance cameras installed in the classroom are invasion of privacy and the teachers feel that they are being constantly watched and judged.

 

An ATL working group is looking into the use of CCTV in schools and colleges and will produce best practice guidance at the end of the year.

 

Read the full story here http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2008/aug/18/schools.privacy

 

How about mobile CCTV cameras to surveillance litterbugs?

A hidden mobile CCTV camera unit has been proposed by a member of Morth Tipperary Co council to track down litterbugs and fight illegal dumping and other offences.

At last month’s meeting of the Roscrea-Templemore Electoral Area Committee, Cllr John Hogan recommended that the local authority could buy a mobile CCTV camera unit and move it between hidden locations every weekly.

Quoted:

Cllr Hogan said mobile CCTV cameras have been used with some success in other parts of the country. “No one knows they are there but everyone knows they are in the county,” he said, adding that the cameras are battery operated and can be programmed to switch themselves on only when someone passes.

Members welcomed Cllr Hogan’s proposal at last week’s meeting, where littering problems in the Roscrea area were discussed.

Covert anti-dumping cameras are currently used by Dublin City Council, so far this year the CCTV footage has secured 12 prosecutions.

The council estimates that at any one location four hidden mobile cameras will successfully capture about 10 per cent of dumping incidents happening.

Read the complete story here http://www.nenaghguardian.ie/news/hidden-mobile-cctv-cameras–to-catch-litterbugs-1452566.html

Ice Range true day/night CCTV camera by Dedicated Micros

The Ice Range day/night camera from Dedicated Micros offers true day/night sensitivity for use with IR light at night and true colour rendition in daylight.

 

Dedicated Micro day/night cctv camera

Features include:

• True day/night for sensitivity to IR light at night and true colour rendition in daylight
• Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) video output on Ice+ models allows video signals to be transmitted further than coax cable will allow
• High-resolution: 580 TV lines
• Back-focus thumbwheel for optimum picture quality and ease of setup
• High picture quality due to tailored digital signal processing settings and professional quality optical filters
• Simple to install and configure with a streamlined range of configurable settings
• Accepts C/CS lenses without the need for adapters
• Compatible with all standard auto and manual iris lenses
• Protection against lightning strikes/spikes on power and coax lines
• Diecast zintec casing and cast zinc lens mount for superior build quality
• Compatible with Dennard housings and accessories

The techinical detail are available at source: http://www.sourcesecurity.com/new-products/listing/1/product-profile/cctv/image-capture/ip-cameras/dedicated-micros-dm-ice-dn3xut-l.html

12 CCTV cameras have been stolen from school

Twelve CCTV cameras have been stolen in a few weeks at a Cape Town school. 18 cameras were initially installed at Cascade Primary School in Eastridge, Mitchells Plain, out of which 12 have been stolen since the start of the new term on July 14.

 

According to the police spokesperson, they were investigating the matter.

 

“So far there have been four, possibly more burglaries this year.

 

“From a parent’s point of view, children feel very very unsafe, especially during break.”

 

While the school also had five Bambanani volunteers, to secure the premises is a difficult task because of the gaps in the fencing surrounding the school; also a part of the fence is down. Any one can enter the premises because the broken fences around the school gives free access to anyone and everyone.

 

CCTV cameras at some of the province’s high-risk schools were installed in June to help curb burglaries and vandalism.

 

The school governing body was appealing to private companies to assist the school with repairs. The school can be contacted on 021 397 6030.

 

For safety reasons, the schools where the CCTV cameras were located were kept secret.

 

The cameras, which have already yielded some success elsewhere, were expected to work in conjunction with police reservists and Bambanani volunteers.

 

Source: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=15&art_id=vn20080811053607567C540805

300,000 new CCTV cameras for the Olympics

As the 29th Olympic Games kicks into full stride, the gaze of the world is firmly on Beijing but by far the most vigilant observer will be the unblinking host writes the Nelson Mail in an editorial.

 

Big Brother will definitely be watching everyone and everything, everywhere.

 

Beijing was already among the world’s most watched cities: apparently, authorities have added 300,000 new CCTV cameras especially for the games, along with other features such as anti-aircraft missiles beside the main Olympic stadium.

 

The growing use of video monitoring for security or some more menacing reasons is not simply the domain of single-party police states. However,

Britain reputedly has four million CCTV cameras installed to constantly watch for littering and other equally heinous activities

read the complete editorial here: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/nelsonmail/4649999a23218.html

 

Sony CCTV cameras at Harton Technology College

Sony helped Harton Technology College to overcome security issues using ip based CCTV cameras.

Harton Technology College is a highly successful 11-to-16 Department of Education and Skills (DfES) designated technology school with over 150 members of staff and 1,350 students drawn from a large area of South Shields.

In 2002, the college was facing a number of critical security issues. With 16 entrances distributed across various buildings, the college was becoming increasingly vulnerable to incidents of anti-social student behaviour, hoax fire alarms, vandalism and theft.

However, the school’s existing analogue CCTV cameras did not support responsive and efficient monitoring.

To overcome these security issues Sony supplied the college with an advanced Network Video Monitoring solution.  Twenty-one Sony SNC-RZ30P Internet Protocol (IP) based cameras were installed in the school, covering the exterior and all entrance doors.  Later, six more cameras were installed on the second floor of the building.

read the complete story here: http://www.sourcesecurity.com/markets/education/profile/1/co-3289-ga.274.html