Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) also known as video surveillance, is the usage of video cameras to transmit signals to a specific place – on a limited set of monitors.
By S. Raymond Williams, Contributing Writer
Walter Bruch, a German engineer invented the first CCTV in 1942 during World War Two (2). It was invented to be able to monitor rockets launches. However, not until 20 years later, Marie Van Brittan Bowne in the USA advanced the technology and applied it to a security setting alongside a way of recording footage. This was the world’s first CCTV security system and it got installed at her resident.
If CCTV cameras constantly monitors a retail business, criminals would likely seek an easier target. Employees knowing that they are constantly being watched, they are less likely to steal from their employer or waste time on the job. Students who knows that their moves are being monitor and recorded may be less likely to carry prohibited instruments or engage in criminal activities on campus.
A crime committed or an argument, in an establishment that has installed CCTV surveillance, investigation will be aided by the recorded video saved on the backup of the CCTV system.
I recalled, CCTV system was lately used to track contact traces of people of corona virus suspect within Liberia. I guessed you have watched a movie and seen a crime detected by CCTV system at an agency, supermarket, shop or home. The footage of the scene of George Floyd captured by a CCTV camera was all over the internet and used to get the actual happening of what went on between he and the three officers.
CCTV cameras are used in a variety of circumstances to provide video surveillance. CCTV cameras comes in different shapes, sizes, colors, features and comes from many different manufactures. Getting the best brand for your need depends on your region, how you wish for the CCTV to operate. In so doing, you go in for the type of CCTV that has the features or services you need. Also based on the support you get from the manufacture.
School uses CCTV to monitor the activities on campus. Businesses use CCTV cameras to monitor the behavior of employees and their businesses even while they are away on a vacation, travels, or at home using their phone or tablet or computer using the CCTV APP – the process is called “Remote view.”
CCTV is widely used in the western world and some parts of Africa. Nowadays, CCTV are mostly seen at small and large shops, stores, supermarkets, and other business areas within our nearing sister countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. This has reduced the crime rate of which owners, managers, and security experts watches shops, stores, supermarkets, and other business areas while they are home, on vacation or travels, using their smart electronic devices.
CCTV cameras are also installed at homes, corners, and streets in other nations and they’re very active and used wisely.
CCTV should be installed almost everywhere except at private places like: bathroom and other secret or restricted areas.
The UK is recognized as a leading user of CCTV and the public are used to seeing CCTV cameras on virtually every high street. Such systems continue to enjoy general public support but they do involve intrusion into the lives of ordinary people as they go about their day to day business and can raise wider privacy concerns.
The potential value of public surveillance technology was well demonstrated all the way back in April, 2013 when investigators identified the two suspects in the Boston Marathon Bombing after sifting through video images captured by the city’s cameras.
The Boston bombers were apprehended quickly due to surveillance cameras. Yes! All agree! No dispute over how well the public cameras were on that day. Yet, many lingering questions remain and will continue to drive debate for the foreseeable future.
We should have surveillance cameras in public places because they ensure public safety. Rarely will anyone attempt to harm you when they know their actions are being recorded on camera. Cameras keep you and your personal property safe.
The police can identify criminals recorded with cameras. Through surveillance cameras, the police can both prevent crimes from happening and can quickly solve criminal cases with material evidence.
In addition, surveillance cameras protect against property theft, and vandalism. It is very difficult to get away with stealing something if there are cameras filming you. Therefore, the thief will often get caught. Surveillance cameras will capture the thief before, or during the process of committing the crime.
If no one is aware of the crime until after it has been committed, the surveillance footage is always a crucial piece of evidence during an investigation. Surveillance cameras have, and will provide a solution to many crimes.
Some people may say that we should not have surveillance cameras in public places. They claim that they invade privacy. The argument here, however, is why be out in public if you want privacy? Surveillance cameras are meant to keep you and other property safe, not to stalk you. Cameras are there not to invade a person’s privacy but to protect the public by deterring criminal activity and by providing material evidence when a crime has been caught on film.
A trained CCTV installer should be knowledgeable of informing the public of the installation of CCTV cameras wherever it’s being installed, with wordings such as: Caution!! CCTV CAMERA IS IN OPERATION.
Banks, and few of governmental and non-governmental agencies use CCTV cameras within Liberia. Are they continuously maintaining and functioning well or it’s just there?!
The GOVERNMENT OF LIBERIA AND ITS PEOPLE really need to look in this direction of highly using CCTV cameras system on the streets, at agencies, banks, schools, and homes. This would reduce the crime rate and also help in investigating crimes in and around the country.