Camera surveillance

2015.12.01

4.2   Deputy M. Tadier of the Minister for Home Affairs regarding camera surveillance: Can the Minister confirm which of the 7 recommendations listed on page 13 of S.R.1/2014 (Camera Surveillance in Jersey), presented to the States in January 2014, have been accepted and have been, or will be implemented by the time any new cameras are installed?

Deputy K.L. Moore of St. Peter (The Minister for Home Affairs):

I have noted the recommendations regarding town centre C.C.T.V. (closed circuit television) made by the Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel in its report on camera surveillance in Jersey. I can confirm that all 7 recommendations have either been implanted or are in hand.

1. Deputy M. Tadier :

Can the Minister confirm further to the ministerial response received on that report that the recommendation to do with signage will also be implemented because there is a suggestion, which is recommendation 4, that it is not the preferred option or was not the preferred option of the previous Minister that additional signage, or indeed any signage, be put up in the town centre to inform the public that C.C.T.V. is in operation?

The Deputy of St. Peter :

I can confirm that appropriate signage is in the process of being prepared or purchased and will be erected before any new cameras are installed.

2. Deputy M. Tadier :

Will the Minister give an indication of what is meant by "appropriate signage" and what consultation there will be around that before any new cameras are put up?

The Deputy of St. Peter :

Members will be aware that last week the police announced they are conducting a consultation on C.C.T.V. They are explaining setting out the areas of the Island where they feel it would be appropriate to add further C.C.T.V. cameras, or to move some within the town area due to a change in activity for members of the public and locations of various outlets that require, for their purposes, some coverage by C.C.T.V. for various reasons. That would be a part of the consultation.

3. Deputy G.P. Southern of St. Helier :

Can the Minister confirm that the proposals currently under consideration are not in fact an expansion of the powers of the police, for example, to monitor the whereabouts of every car coming into and out of town on an automatic basis with automatic number plate recognition?

The Deputy of St. Peter :

In the Scrutiny Panel's report, recommendation 2, touched upon the idea and the abilities of C.C.T.V. cameras to pinpoint their facial recognition and also number plates. It is not proposed at this time that any C.C.T.V. used will provide any advance video content; that being the use of facial recognition or number plates beyond that that is used in car parking.

4. Deputy G.P. Southern :

Can the Minister confirm that in order to do the move, as I have outlined, that would require her to bring a proposition to the States allowing that they should do so?

The Deputy of St. Peter :

That is a point that I would have to check with my advisers.

5. Deputy M. Tadier :

It regards recommendation 7, that there has been a recommendation by the previous panel, which said that where CCTV cameras are positioned so as to be able to unintentionally perhaps look through private properties and into their windows, the response was that consideration will be given to how to best ensure property holders are aware of the extent to which C.C.T.V. coverage around the town area would affect them. Could the Minister confirm what consideration has been given in addressing recommendation 7 by the previous panel/

The Deputy of St. Peter :

This was recognised and the system already automatically masks a number of residential windows in the town area and during the development of the current project the States of Jersey Police have spoken to other businesses, residents and official partners about the impact of the proposed new rules. Any concerns have been or are being addressed.