CCTV installation leads to drop in anti-social behaviour in Chesterfield
It's gone down by over 15%
The widespread installation of CCTV across Chesterfield town centre and trouble hot spots has led to a significant reduction in anti-social behaviour and shoplifting, a report has revealed.
Chesterfield Borough Council (CBC) has noted a 15.2 per cent reduction in anti-social behaviour and 18.5 per cent drop in shoplifting throughout the town centre between 2021/22 and the last comparable pre-Covid figures of 2019/20.
The authority has put this, in part, down to its investment in a CCTV system upgrade and installation of an additional 80 cameras, paid for using funding from the Government’s Safer Streets initiative.
A report into the matter stated:
“The replacement and expansion of the CCTV camera coverage across Chesterfield town centre has significantly increase the potential to improve safety and security of our community.
“The significant uplift in the number and quality of the cameras and their positioning provides a level of coverage never seen before in the town centre.”
As well as the CCTV, the ÂŁ355k awarded through the initiative was used to install ANPR cameras at Horns Bridge and West Bars roundabouts, take steps to prevent shoplifting working with the Business Crime Reduction partnership and personal safety engagement events, among other crime prevention measures.