Friday 30 May 2008

CCTV used for Litter

You will remember that the mobile CCTV unit's visit to the High Street was discussed in our last blog entry. It now transpires that this hugely expensive bit of equipment, with its operators and back-up was actually being used to catch litterers. What a waste! - if you excuse the pun. Yes, litter is a problem. Yes, to knowingly throw litter is an offence. But to spend a fortune like this on such minor crime is the proverbial sledgehammer to crack a monkey nut. And remember, the whole area was already covered by other cameras!

Further to the incident related in the previous entry, my mole informs me that the picture of me being confronted by the mobile CCTV crew is now in general circulation. A whole range of council officials and para-police types have now seen it. Responsible use of public property, if ever I saw it.

Was ever a better illustration needed of CCTV-groupies' complete disregard for personal privacy? Even if I had committed a minor crime, this sort of dissemination would have been completely unjustified.

Have you seen the images? How far have they travelled? Write now to c/o Mr D McHutcheon, 120 Commercial Street, Kirkcaldy, Fife, KY1 2NX.

Once again though, we are not anti-Police. This is about protecting the individual citizen's right to privacy.

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