Assisting shopping centre managers when purchasing or upgrading CCTV systems 
(03/01/2008)
BCSC has issued an Occasional Paper with advice from the Home Office Scientific Development Branch, Prudential, Martin Taylor Associates and MACE to educate and assist shopping centre and development/asset managers when purchasing new or upgrading CCTV systems in the commercial environment.
CCTV Users Guide for Shopping Places is split into two parts – Licensing and Operational Requirement - and can be used as a checklist in the specification of a new CCTV system. It was compiled by BCSC’s Security and Safer Shopping Committee, which was set up to help shopping centre managers review security measures.
BCSC, which represents those with an interest in the managed retail environment, points out that there are multiple advantages to installing CCTV apart from its use in security and crime prevention including:
• Commercial benefits: regularly measuring the shopping centre’s pedestrian footfall, flows and hotspots, providing evidence of its success and of particular promotions and individual retailers.
• Human or personnel advantages: monitoring or managing staff performance, health and safety issues and also providing examples for their training and development or dealing with insurance claims by employees or members of the public.
• Equipment monitoring function: cameras to focus on individual pieces of equipment immediately in the event of malfunction or alarm conditions – for example a fire extinguisher sprinkler head or remote, normally untrafficked corridors or plant areas.
The Guide highlights a number of stages when planning the installation of a CCTV system. The checklist can form a comprehensive operational requirement that can be given to the contractor/supplier to help design a CCTV system that is fit for purpose.
Martin Taylor, chair of BCSC’s Security and Safer Shopping Committee said: “BCSC is intent on improving the levels of security and service throughout the retail industry and beyond. Without compromising shoppers’ privacy, security and related issues are recognised as major issues by both retailers and shopping centre owners. This guidance note should help centre managers to make the system bespoke to their centre.”
The Occasional Paper is available at £15 + VAT for BCSC members and for non-members at £25 + VAT.
Related topics: CCTV system and accessories Monitoring systems
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