'Big Brother' concerns as secret system of cameras is rolled out
Pastor Dale Morgan
*
Sat 26 Aug 2006
*
'Big Brother' concerns as secret system of cameras is rolled out*
MICHAEL HOWIE
SCOTLAND A NETWORK of secret roadside cameras used to track terror
suspects, drug traffickers and child abductors has been rolled out
across Scotland, police have revealed.
Senior officers have told The Scotsman that the installation of
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras was completed this
month, allowing detectives to monitor the movements of suspects from a
4,000 name watchlist as they travel on major routes across the country.
Click to learn more...
The surveillance equipment, which looks like ordinary speed cameras, was
piloted in Strathclyde and Fife and police say it has been hugely
successful in catching and monitoring thousands of suspects and
criminals, including sex offenders, bogus callers and disqualified drivers.
But some human rights campaigners have branded the system a "Big
Brother"-style infringement on personal liberties.
Police will not disclose where the cameras are located, or how many
there are, but say they also have a number of mobile units allowing them
to act on specific intelligence about a suspect's movements, or target
particular crime hotspots.
Alan Burnett, who has overseen the roll-out of ANPR for the Association
of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, revealed that the next phase in
the programme, to expand the system to local authority CCTV cameras, was
already well under way.
"We have the software that allows us to use CCTV for number plate
recognition," he said.
The Scottish Executive has spent £1.5m on ANPR machines which can check
up to 3,000 licence plates an hour on vehicles travelling at speeds of
up to 100mph.
Police forces have created a central database of 4,000 vehicles owned by
people they want to monitor. This has been connected to the Scottish
Intelligence Database (SID) to allow every officer to be able to request
that a vehicle of interest should be checked.
Mr Burnett, who is Assistant Chief Constable of Fife Constabulary, said:
"We've completed the installation of fixed-site cameras this month,
which has created an extremely flexible network."
He revealed that the cameras had been used to track people involved in
child abduction and drug trafficking and had been used in anti-terrorism
operations. In 2004, in Fife, 1,247 crimes were detected using the
technology.
"It can cover the most serious crimes to someone who hasn't got an
insurance document. But each force is prioritising the crimes they are
interested in. If we put all the numbers on the system that we are
interested in, it would be overwhelmed."
Mr Burnett said details were also kept on the system for a limited
period of time, ensuring the number of targets did not escalate out of
control.
"We understand some people are worried about this being Big Brother, but
the general public shouldn't worry. There are checks and balances
regulating the intelligence on the system."
Mr Burnett said the technology also allowed them to identify the faces
of drivers. He said legislation would have to be introduced to allow
such intimate monitoring and acknowledged "a debate will have to be had"
as to whether such tactics would be acceptable.
In July, Sir Andrew Leggatt, the UK's Chief Surveillance Commissioner,
warned the use of ANPR could be open to legal challenge.
He urged ministers to bring forward legislation to ensure the equipment
is in line with privacy laws and police are not prevented from using the
cameras to give evidence in court.
"There are two sides to the argument, but if I was making the case for
extending ANPR I would say it could be a very powerful tool in the fight
against crime and terrorism," said Mr Burnett.
ANPR cameras are also being used in Edinburgh to monitor traffic flows
and could be used for congestion charging schemes.
Lawyers last night said the correct balance had to be struck between
helping the police monitor criminals and preserving the rights of
individuals.
"Whilst recognising this may be helpful to the police, there needs to be
public disclosure of the proposed uses of such surveillance techniques
and how they are being regulated," said Maggie Scott, chair of the
Criminal Bar Association.
But Margaret Mitchell, the Scottish Tories' justice spokeswoman,
welcomed the new tracking system. "We need to deploy whatever resources
are available to tackle terrorism, paedophile rings and other serious
crimes," she said.