Council releases draft CCTV expansion policy

The City of Melbourne has unveiled its draft CCTV policy, granting authorised council officers the power to use the cameras as part of Local Law investigations.

If the updated Safe City Camera Program (SCCP) Policy is endorsed, investigations will cover incidents involving damage to public or private property, defacement or destruction of the natural environment, acts of public nuisance, breaches related to busking, and other violations of local laws.

Council-authorised officers are already empowered to undertake investigations into alleged breaches of local laws.However, they do not currently have the power to access CCTV footage as part of these investigations.

According to the council’s report on the policy, the changes are needed to ensure peace and order in the municipality and to meet community expectations regarding the quality and standards of amenity maintained by the City of Melbourne.

When the expansion of the CCTV program was announced in May, the council stated it would explore the use of video analytics and artificial intelligence.

However, the draft policy does not enable or empower the application of video analytics in relation to the SCCP.

There are three phases to the expansion of the SCCP. Phase one involves maintenance upgrades to the SCCP and policy changes; phase two focuses on adding additional cameras to the network; while phase three will involve reviewing whether video analytics will be used.

The SCCP was established in December 1995, with the initial cameras operational by February 1997. In 2010, the council also considered expanding the scope of the SCCP to include enforcement of local laws but decided not to proceed at that time.

Since the program’s inception, the council has stated that the purpose of the program is to “aid detection of crime, aid identification and apprehension of offenders, and assist emergency response”.

The City of Melbourne operates a network of 328 CCTV cameras across the CBD and parts of Carlton, Docklands, and Southbank, including a mobile security patrol vehicle fitted with 360-degree CCTV surveillance cameras.

At the end of October, 11 community safety officers (CSOs) will also be employed by the City of Melbourne. These officers will be authorised to act under the municipality’s Local Law code, provide on-street support, and connect people in need with existing support services.

The CSOs will be equipped with handcuffs and will have the ability to make arrests for breaches of local laws.

All officers have completed comprehensive training in trauma-informed engagement, mental health and substance use awareness, cultural safety, and family and gendered violence prevention. •