CCTV to be installed in Fareham to combat drug taking, vandalism and hate crimes

More CCTV cameras are being rolled out in Fareham town centre and across the borough to help combat vandalism, drug taking and hate crimes.
By Noni Needs
Published 29th Jan 2024, 10:12 BST
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New enforcement officers have also been hired, the Fareham Health and Public Protection Scrutiny Panel heard on Wednesday (January 24), in a bid to tackle antisocial behaviour in ‘hotspots’ to ensure it is a safe place to live, work and visit. Costing £40,000, the four new cameras, two deployable cameras, and masts to fix them were bought and installed for use in Fareham town centre, Stubbington, Portchester, The Highlands and Broadlaw Walk.

The deployment of the cameras is ‘data driven’, the panel were told, so the message to residents is to report incidents of antisocial behaviour to the police. This will enable cameras to be deployed to ‘hotspots’ where they are needed, to combat vandalism, drug taking and hate crimes, and act as deterrents, said the officer of the council.

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CCTV cameras are to be installed to help tackle antisocial behaviour across the Fareham boroughCCTV cameras are to be installed to help tackle antisocial behaviour across the Fareham borough
CCTV cameras are to be installed to help tackle antisocial behaviour across the Fareham borough

The council officer said: “The last two deployments were in Passage Lane where the antisocial behaviour was curbed and dealt with and Stubbington precinct where the Chinese takeaway was being targeted with hate crime and antisocial behaviour, and that’s stopped. We have the capacity to move the cameras around.”

She told the panel, who were complimentary of the work officers were doing, that reaction times to reporting on dialling 101 have improved and going online to report means it can be used as evidence by the police for prosecutions and as data for where to put cameras. Two new enforcement officers have been hired at a cost of £53,264. They work to enforce the town centre public spaces protection order, a method to try and curb antisocial behaviour by making certain activities illegal, and other jobs such as dealing with dogs and traveller issues.

The deployable CCTV cameras have also stopped antisocial behaviour and criminal damage when they have been deployed, the panel heard, and the council is also grateful for the support the police and crime commissioner has shown in supporting bids for further cameras around the town centre and The Gillies. The new strategy from Fareham Borough Council community safety and CCTV service replaces the former Fareham and Gosport CCTV Partnership which was dissolved in October 2021.