VMS' VeriFi-CCTV ensures CCTV evidence is fit for purpose

(14/06/2010)

Businesses often rely on CCTV footage in employment law or health & safety cases. Poor quality CTTV footage, badly presented in court, is easily discredited by a smart lawyer. That’s where the optional VeriFi forensic editing service can be used to bring simultaneous footage from multiple cameras onto the same screen and timeline. All too often these are shown as confusing separate discontinuous footage leading to confusion and acquittal. VeriFi can also highlight and enhance the key areas so the jury understands clearly what is going on.

VMS' VeriFi-CCTV is an advanced professional CCTV quality assurance and compliance package, designed to address the threat to businesses highlighted by the police opinion that 80% of CCTV evidence is not fit for purpose (as stated in the Home Office National CCTV Strategy document).

Brian Larkins, joint managing director of VMS (CCTV) Ltd says, “In reality, the financial cost of losing such a case is the real CCTV risk. It’s much more of a risk than the oft-quoted 90% non-compliance figure for CCTV systems. Yes, the Information Commissioner’s Office can now impose a £500,000 fine for Data Protection Act breaches-- but this is only for the most serious breaches of the Act. It's evidence the Commissioner is at last growing teeth. But that sensationalist 90% non-compliance figure includes minor infringements. A fine of such size is highly unlikely in the case of, for example, a poorly signed CCTV system.”

VMS has assembled a nation-wide team of CCTV experts to deliver VeriFi, each with many years professional experience. They use unique VeriFi software to provide a secure, reliable and accessible support service delivered to a common standard throughout the UK. The VeriFi team administer the quality assurance, system assessments, plus a chain of evidence audit, backed by a specialist forensic video editing capability to ensure that video evidence is coherently presented in court.

The VeriFi Online service can also be delivered via Security Service Providers and Corporate Business Standards Audit Departments. Irrespective of who prepares a VeriFi Online report, all are submitted to rigorous quality assurance checking before the end user is provided with username and password to access the report.

Larkins says, “There are plenty of CCTV compliance auditors and standards out there. But in terms of producing effective CCTV evidence quality, which is the one thing that really matters, they all leave major loopholes. We cover the whole gamut, from the statutory requirements to the complexities of managing subject access rights applications - which includes the masking of unconnected third party images that may be present in the footage that has been requested.

In cases where the efficacy of systems is disputed, the VMS consultancy service uses the National Operational Requirement Mannequin as an objective benchmark to measure system performance.

VeriFi is the first comprehensive quality assessment service for CCTV including:
1. Site Specific CCTV Policy document
2. Information Commissioner’s Office – Data Protection Act – Compliance
3. Human Rights Act – Compliance
4. Forensic Video Editing – On Demand
5. Subject Access Rights Management – VeriFi provides professional management of applications including masking of unconnected third party images
6. Statutory Information Signs – Fitted
7. Annual System Performance Assessment - Included
8. Management Documentation – Supplied
9. Consumables – Included
10. Annual Management Audit - Included
11. Public Information – Online
12. Staff Awareness – Managed
13. Public Complaints Procedure – Managed
14. Security of Images – Checked
15. Discreet Evidence Download Service – Available
16. Best Practice – Quality Assured and kept up to date

Related topics:  CCTV recording, DVR, VCR, Multiplexers   CCTV system and accessories   Digital CCTV 

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