Taxi Driver Online

Taxi CCTV helps drive down crime

CCTV cameras have helped to cut violence and fare dodging in taxis, a review has found.

During a pilot in Dunfermline, only one of the 41 taxi frauds happened in a vehicle fitted with CCTV and the culprit was caught.

In the same period, there were just two other crimes in taxis equipped with cameras.

These were an incidence of vandalism and a report of sectarian singing.

Although those responsible were not identified, police said the CCTV had helped them with their inquiries.

Fife’s licensing enforcement officer Donald Jenks said the cameras had had a measurable deterrent effect and had improved safety and cut crime.

The scheme has been so successful it is now being rolled out to taxis in Kirkcaldy and Levenmouth.

Mr Jenks said 25 operators had expressed an interest in fitting cameras, meaning 91 vehicles across the region would be covered.

Councillor Bob Young, chairman of the Fife Licensing Board, said he had held talks with the procurator fiscal before the Dunfermline pilot to ensure the cameras would not be breaching passengers’ human rights.

“If you walk down any high street there’s CCTV,” he said.

“The procurator fiscal says there is no problem.

“All taxis fitted with CCTV will have a sign to say and if someone wants it deleted it would be up to the taxi driver.”

Vice-chairman Tom Adams said the CCTV units cost around £40 and were proving to be of real value.

“In Dunfermline there have hardly been any incidents of runners and levels of violence in taxis have come down quite significantly,” he said.

“We’re not trying to force this on anybody. It’s purely voluntary.”

Mr Adams said that so far it was only operators in Kirkcaldy and Levenmouth who had expressed an interest.

He added: “North east Fife haven’t expressed an interest but we would like to see other areas coming on board and saying they would like to do it.”

Funding will be found through local community safety budgets and officers will have to source enough CCTV units before they are installed later this year.

source: http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/ ... e-1.878201

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Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.
George Carlin

Down hear complaints to the council's taxi licensing department is down 20% this year.

Of course having compulsory CCTV has nothing to do with more drivers behaving themselves.

Or does it?

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IDFIMH

more likely to be the chancers and the something for nothing compensation brigade know they cant concot their bullsh*t tales any more cos theyd get found out

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i started out with nothing and ive still got most of it left