MEDIA RELEASE

21 November 2002

City Cameras Upgraded To Keep Streets Safe

Auckland City, Heart of the City, Karangahape Road Business Association and the New Zealand police have joined forces to upgrade the closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in the central city and install up to 14 additional cameras in the Karangahape Road area.

The fibre optic cable linking Auckland City’s Bledisloe House with the police’s Jean Batten Building has been extended and contractors invited to tender to upgrade the two organisations’ CCTV network to one that is digitally based.

Auckland City’s manager of project services traffic and roading, Mark Kearney, says that once complete the upgrade will give police and the council access to footage captured on each others’ cameras as well as significantly improving the picture quality.

“The cameras and wiring are 15 years old and in desperate need of upgrading. A high proportion of the time the police cannot view the video images in their control room because of the substandard equipment.”

New Zealand Police Auckland City Area Controller, Inspector Brett England, says the cameras are an important police tool, both as a deterrent and for catching offenders. “The cameras effectively give the police more eyes on the street.”

The police now have 12 cameras in the central city, two in the Karangahape Road area. Auckland City has 22 cameras for traffic management.

Inspector England says the police cameras are only installed in the city’s problem spots. Karangahape Road, Myers Park and the surrounding streets are identified as one of the areas requiring extra police resources.

Tony Koia, chair of the Karangahape Road Business Association, is delighted with the council’s decision to install additional cameras in the Karangahape Road area.

“The Association has been lobbying for more monitored CCTV cameras in the area for years.”

He is confident they will make the Karangahape Road area a safer and more enjoyable place to live, work and play.

Councillor Noelene Raffills, chair of the council’s Law and Order Committee says the CCTV project is part of the council’s wider City Safe initiative aimed at keeping the city’s streets safe.

The estimated cost of the upgrade in the CBD is $600,000, to be shared between Auckland City ($250,000), the police ($250,000) and Heart of the City ($100,000).

The design for the upgraded Karangahape Road CCTV network has yet to be finalised. It will be a joint venture between Auckland City, the police and the Karangahape Road Business Association.

ENDS

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