Friday 11th April 2003

More Vans for Merseyside

Police take delivery of 27 new CCTV vans

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Merseyside Police has taken delivery of 27 Peugeot 'Expert' vans, which have been transformed by technicians at Peugeot Specialist Vehicle Operations (PSVO) at Alconbury, into high visibility CCTV (closed circuit television) vehicles.

The bright yellow high visibility vans will be used as part of the ‘Be Streetsafe’ campaign, a Merseyside Police initiative, which aims to reduce robbery, street violence and general anti-social behaviour.

Merseyside police says its ‘Be Streetsafe’ CCTV vans send a clear message to criminals – that they are being watched. Perhaps one day they'll even be arrested...

The vans can seat up to five police personnel and are fully fitted with CCTV equipment, as well as an arrest ‘cell’ for the safe and secure transport of two people.

Link: www.merseyside.police.uk/

[robp]

For a minute then I thought the police had purchased 27 scamera vans.

Good to see some police forces spend the money where its required (i.e not theiving money off motorists)

[deltaf]

Give them time......

[robp]

deltaf said: Give them time......

Dont worry, the locals will have thieved all the vans within a few weeks and will be selling em cheap to the Northants police!!!

[Swilly]

I take it this is not the Merseyside Police Forces idea of undercover stakeouts.

[m-five]

They also have a mobile cop shop which targets a different area every week.

If there's any trouble outside any of the local hotspots the trouble-makers can be dealt with very quickly, including being put in the mobile cells overnight!

[ultimasimon]

What on earth next? I bet all the crims can't wait to swap their tapes of each other breaking the law - a sort of Beadles' / Burglars' about

[markqelise]

These vans are superb - they are a real deterent. I work as a door supervisor in Stafford and we are fully camera'ed up round the town on top of that we have the video van - In bright yellow with full letering down the side to aid its deterent effect, the response of Stafford's police force is excellent - OK out town centre is not huge but at the first sign of trouble the camera operators call in the problem direct to the police who will then respond. On top of the response and its deterent effect, it cuts down on Police work as when you are shown a video of yourself commiting a crime you can do little else but plead guilty.

[DanH]

I thought all cctv did was move the crime out the area with the cameras.

At least Tony will be able to see what everyone is up to though in case they might be plotting to vote against Labour.

[dazren]

Bloody Ridiculous.

The same visibility and effectiveness of policing can be achieved by bobbies on the beat with a camcorder. I really don't see why we should be paying for mobile social centres where they can sit down, have a chat, play cards and eat donuts for the entirety of a shift. What next, a caravan attached with beds so they can have a kip on duty like the firemen.

I mean as if any criminal is going to do anything within the visibility of a bloody great yellow van, which may as well have "undercover police" sign written on the side.

DAZ

[PetrolTed]

[Quicktomo]

"Beware of Greeks and the bringing of gifts."
Just watch out for something sneaky up the road a bit.