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CCTV not the answer [print version] I appreciate the noble efforts made by individuals such as Mr Fernandez to confront criminal behaviour for everybody's sake. However, I must question Mr Fernandez' judgment that more CCTV is such a critical part of the solution. He writes, "What is it going to take - another senseless killing?" (Times, January 18). In the last year, I have myself felt compelled to intervene to help innocent persons caught up in vicious situations (and at some personal risk). On each occasion CCTV was just around the corner. My point is not just that there is no substitute for immediate manpower, especially police (a point with which, I suspect, Mr Fernandez will agree), but that a surveillance culture hardly prevents such atrocities from occurring again and again - even when CCTV does help in securing a conviction. There is no quick fix solution. For sure, we must assert ourselves as a community and not expect that the police can be everywhere at the same time. Wouldn't it be a great start if on our walks to and from that station we could feel unembarrassed about striking up conversations with our neighbours? Instead we avoid eye contact while waiting on the station platform, especially when the ghastly tannoy repeats the doctrine: "Criminals are know to operate in this area." Shahrar Ali |
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