Taxi Driver Online

Cabbies' Cameras Will Record Crime

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Taxi drivers are hoping on-board CCTV cameras will put the brakes on crime and anti-social behaviour.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire Police now have the computer software to take footage from cabs to be used as evidence.

Drivers will have to buy the cameras themselves at a cost of around £150.

But the technology will mean images can be downloaded at Etruria's Northern Area Custody Facility.

Taxi bosses who already have CCTV systems say they are an effective weapon against problem passengers.

Arfan Mohammed, owner of A1 National Embassy private hire firm, has cameras fitted in all his 92 cabs.

The 30-year-old said: "Since we had the cameras drivers are getting zero hassle. As soon as someone gets in the cab they see the signs and know the camera's there.

"It also makes customers more comfortable and relaxed if they know there's CCTV, especially women on their own, or parents who call us to pick up their children.

"Now the police and the council have this software it makes it easier for drivers to purchase the cameras and protect themselves."

Previously a driver would have needed extra kit to download the images from cameras themselves.

But the authorities are now able to extract the evidence and the city council's licensing department can also install software to imprint images with the vehicle's registration details and the date and time.

That will mean they make better evidence if required by police.

Glyn Cross, the authority's principal licensing officer, said: "We can put details of the vehicle's registration onto the camera's memory card. This links the camera to a vehicle.

"The police are the only ones who can download the pictures so they can't be interfered with, which will protect their integrity if they are needed as evidence."

The £1,000 software is funded by The Safer City Partnership.

Figures are not kept relating specifically to attacks on cabbies in the region.

But Inspector Shaun Kerrigan, commander of the city centre neighbourhood policing unit, said: "This will offer reassurance for drivers and the public. It's open to Hackney carriage and private hire drivers.

"We don't have many incidents of attacks of taxi drivers, but this will be a deterrent."

Dave Currie, secretary of Stoke-on-Trent Private Hire Association, pictured, believes drivers need help to buy the cameras.

He said: "The crucial aspect of this CCTV is it has to be affordable."

Anyone interested in installing CCTV in their taxi should contact Stoke-on-Trent City Council's licensing department on 01782 232774.

Source; thisisstaffordshire.co.uk

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Kind regards,

Brummie Cabbie.

Type a message, post your news,
Disagree with other members' views;
But please, do have some decorum,
When debating on the TDO Forum.

Will this ensure that others like the LA don't snoop for the sake of it?

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

I think a better system would be open cameras where you can finish a shift and Utube the worst ones.

PMSL. you could even put a notice up saying 'I will utube the idiots' can't say they weren't warned

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

The ones I'd love to put on the tube are the Gengis Carlsbergs, show them shouting it out about who "nearly" got their head kicked in and how they screwed their mates mum last night etc.

I was shocked the first time I heard about their mates mums, well use to it now

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!

It's bang out of order Toots, it's an old rule you never diss another mans mum, and now it's going out the door like many other guidelines the place is poorer for it, or another way to look at it, is the death of the last ounce of respect.

The last ounce of respect left this place years ago, that's one of the reasons I moved to somewhere, hopefully, a little more civilised

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Note to self: Just because it pops into my head does NOT mean it should come out of my mouth!!