Permanent cameras are being installed in this Portsmouth park after a police officer was stabbed

Cameras have been set up to watch over Stamshaw’s adventure playground, ballgames court and park. Eight cameras are already in place with four more to come.

It comes after a 56-year-old officer was stabbed in the back at the park near Newcomen Road on February 21 this year. A man is due to stand trial.

The officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries but was taken to hospital for treatment.

Details were revealed in a Portsmouth City Council community safety report due to be discussed next week.

Portfolio holder and ex-police officer Councillor Lee Hunt said the cameras would help keep ‘communities safe.’

He said: ‘I’m very pleased these cameras are being installed, to reassure local people who use the area and who have concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour.

‘CCTV is a very useful tool in helping to keep our communities safe.’

Three mobile cameras were deployed in the park in 2018 – but they were removed in the weeks before the stabbing.

A mobile CCTV unit has been on the site since the stabbing as well as other reports of anti-social behaviour as a temporary measure.

Five of the cameras already installed are positioned on the youth centre main building and cover the playground site and area to the east side of the park.

The other three are installed on a north side floodlight within the external ball court area.

JPNS-23-07-19 web CCTV

The four remaining cameras will be installed on lamp posts within the playground area to view the north side of the park.

Londoner Michael Enzanga, 20, from Ashfield Road in Tottenham, denies the stabbing and drug offences and is due to stand trial at Portsmouth Crown Court next month.