Please listen to the short piece on CCTV - Bewildering Manual Process and strange comments from the Commissioner to the Media
DEEPLY UNCONVINCING COMMISSIONER - Commissioner Harris and Team met with Policing Authority on Anti-Migration. Two distinct takeaways , On the Coolock Operation "it was far from perfect" and in relation to 3,000 hours of CCTV for other incidents" needs further legislation to use software to make digital identification" Deeply unconvincing on both points. There are number of automated search platforms available to interrogate CCTV at an exponential speed - One example https://lnkd.in/eah7_ppM and I have no doubt that there are many more providers.
The Commissioner is quoted in several papers (1.8.2024) that "rogue gardaí" could potentially abuse the new BODY WORN CAMERAS (BWC). I have a hard job believing that the leader of the Garda Service would have been so insensitive. Perhaps he should clarify.
"The body-worn camera system being piloted by Gardai in Dublin and Limerick is open to potential abuse by rogue members of the force, Garda CommissionerDrew Harris has conceded.
However, he warned that gardaí would face dismissal and potential criminal prosecution if found to have shared or leaked footage of incidents captured by the devices.
An investigating member obviously has to review the footage in terms of [preparing] a file, so if somebody really wants to act outside our rules and instructions and indeed our discipline code, then on their head be it, Mr Harris told reporters in Limerick.
He said the camera system is secure and recorded footage cannot be tampered with, but he accepted members would have limited opportunities to film recorded footage using a mobile phone or other device and share it with others".
The plain fact of the matter is that thousands of hours of public order CCTV footage remains unexamined because the Force has to resort to manual checking. The figures are 22,000 hours from the November Riots and 3,000 hours from the Coolock disturbances.
A fig leaf is being offered that this system is totally dependent on new legislation required for the Digital Facial Recognition capacity of the BWC.
This is an assumption which is very misleading. Camera images are habitually used in identifying criminals quite apart from Digital Recognition.
The facts are on the 2/8/2024 ( Newspaper reports )
01/08/2024 | 12:02 PM JAMES COX breakingnews.ie
Garda body worn cameras are set to be rolled out in Limerick after they were successfully launched in Dublin.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and Garda Commissioner Drew Harris launched the Body Worn Cameras proof of concept at Henry Street Garda station in Limerick city.
Limerick is the second of three pilot locations to test the use of Garda Body Worn Cameras (BWCs) before a national rollout. The first trial commenced in Dublin in early June.
Ms McEntee said: “Ensuring that frontline gardaí are equipped with Body Worn Cameras has been a priority for me and I am very pleased we are now extending the pilot phase to Limerick.
“This initiative will vastly improve how we police our streets. Our gardaí regularly respond to tense situations and too often find themselves being recorded while trying to do their jobs. We cannot keep sending gardaí into those situations without them having the ability to record what is happening. Body Worn Cameras will offer protection both to gardaí and to the public with accurate recording of incidents.
“I’m pleased that this technology will now be used and tested by frontline gardaí here in Limerick. Today marks another important step towards ensuring every Garda has access to this technology. Early feedback on the use of Body Worn Cameras in Dublin has been positive from gardaí, members of the public and the retail business community.”
The Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Act 2023 was signed into law last December. The Act provides for Body Worn Cameras, Garda CCTV, automatic number plate recognition, and community CCTV.
The BWC initiative which is a GOOD NEWS STORY is being conflated by the Commissioner with the enormous problem of interrogating CCTV images ( 22,000 Hours from the November 2023 Riots alone) from commercial and private sources. He provided this confusing explanation to the Chair of the Policing Authority last week. He was directly asked the Question is there a better way of interrogating CCTV and he said No and then offered a confused answer which cited legal reasons relating to BWC, nothing to do with the general capture of CCTV from other sources.
Ms McEntee added: “The Government is absolutely committed to ensuring An Garda Síochána have the technology and equipment required to keep our communities safe. Introducing Garda Body Worn Cameras is a vital part of that commitment to keep people safe because it will help gardaí prevent, investigate, and prosecute criminal offences along with threats to public safety and public order.
“Attacks on our gardaí, or attempts to intimidate them, are completely unacceptable and Body Worn Cameras will be key to ensuring they are protected as they carry out their duties.
“I look forward to hearing about the progress and learnings of the pilots in Limerick and Dublin and look forward to the commencement of the Waterford pilot in the near future.”
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