What is a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) System?
CCTV is commonly used in commercial situations, for example in retail premises. Nowadays, CCTV cameras can be found in virtually every type of building, with the exception of individual housing units. In Hong Kong, CCTV cameras are installed in the common areas of residential buildings, as well as in every type of office building or other commercial operation. In short, CCTV cameras can be found everywhere you look in Hong Kong.
The technology used in CCTV systems is constantly evolving and becoming more sophisticated. In recent years, advances in digital technology have resulted in the recording systems attached to CCTV cameras now being of unprecedented high quality, making images from CCTV systems much more useful when trying to identify suspects involved in a crime or other incident. CCTV systems cannot prevent crimes, but they can assist in identifying culprits and, as such, can often deter crime. Even if systems are monitored by human operators, things are often missed as operators’ attention begins to diminish after twenty minutes of watching a monitor. However, state-of-the-art systems now incorporate various types of technology collectively known as “video analytics,” which can identify various activities, activate an alarm, and thus overcome the limitations of human operators.
If you or your business wishes to install a CCTV system, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of systems to choose from. Whichever system you choose, it should be installed in a way that makes it easy for the police to obtain copies of the images for evidential purposes in the event of a crime. The guidelines below will assist you in ensuring that your system helps the police to help you.
