CCTV grants available in WA worth $5 million – councils may apply. Image: Intel Free Press
The Western Australian government has extended an offer of grants funding to local governments to install or upgrade CCTV cameras in a bid to fight crime and respond to emergencies.
As part of the government’s election commitment to deliver its CCTV strategy valued at $8.5 million, it has offered grants valued up to $5 million.
The funding is a major boost to local government security and law enforcement, with a greater number of cameras operating across the state being able to monitor crime hotspots that are well known to local authorities as problem areas.
A big part of the government’s CCTV plan is greater technology integration, where it hopes that the network will allow WA Police and emergency services to remotely access any compliant camera systems to help respond to emergency situations, including criminal and anti-social behaviour.
WA Minister for Police Liza Harvey said the draft State CCTV Strategy released earlier this year provided the blueprint for how the state government, local government and the private sector could join together to achieve this through effective use of integrated technology.
“This government is committed to making communities safer through delivering tough laws and more police resources and CCTV has been a great tool for deterring, preventing and solving crime,” Ms Harvey said.
She said this camera network will allow police and other authorised emergency services to access any CCTV system which is part of the network and view the footage being recorded.
Mrs Harvey said a more integrated network could be a potential game changer in preventing and prosecuting crime and anti-social behaviour.
“This will work on several levels – police can assess crime jobs almost immediately, use the vision to prosecute offenders and deter criminal behaviour,” she said.
Councils in WA can apply for funding from the $5 million round of grants by visiting http://www.police.wa.gov.au/cctv
