New Lincoln CCTV helped police with seven arrests in first month

New CCTV cameras installed in Lincoln as part of a £50,000 bid to make the city safer led to seven arrests in their first full month of operation.

City of Lincoln Councillor Sue Burke, Portfolio Holder for Reducing Inequality, told a meeting of the Full Council that the 29 new cameras, covering a number of main walking routes into and out of the city centre, had monitored 26 incidents during the month of May.

The scheme, secured with the help of Lincolnshire Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones, is mainly aimed at improving safety for women during the darkest hours, but has been used to protect all members of the community.

Alongside it have been projects including funding to develop teaching materials which promote women’s rights and challenge attitudes, a night safety charter pledging to design public spaces to make them safe at night; and training for bar, hotel and restaurant staff regarding vulnerability and tackling predators.

Councillor Burke told members that the cameras kept the privacy of local residents and only zoomed in when needed.

City of Lincoln Councillor Sue Burke.

“The main purpose of these cameras is the safety of lone people after dark, though they are part of the wider CCTV system, which deals with many different aspects and types of incidents.

“This shows the cameras are also doing their job and helping to make our streets safer for everybody.”

The 26 incidents monitored included offences such as:

• Affray
• Wanted person
• Offensive weapon
• Drunk & disorderly
• Assault
• Breach of Criminal Behaviour Order
• Criminal damage
• Firearms
• Road traffic accident
• Suspicious activity
• Drunk & incapable
• Drug dealing
• Theft
• Witness intimidation
• Fly tipping
• Domestic issues
• Mental health issues
• Cycle theft
• Urinating

It has not been confirmed which incidents led to the arrests.

Following the meeting, Councillor Burke told Local Democracy Reporters: “These figures highlight just how important the additional cameras are to the safety of residents in the city centre.

“In detecting crime and anti-social behaviour on Lincoln’s streets, the new cameras are already having a positive impact and will continue to play an important part in keeping the community safe for many years to come.”

The new cameras cover routes into and out of the city centre. | Image: Daniel Jaines

The cameras are located in areas to the east of the lower High Street, off Monks Road, the ‘West End’ and between uphill and Bishop Grosseteste University.

The original £400,000 scheme came from the government’s Safer Streets Fund after a successful bid by Lincolnshire’s PCC Marc Jones.

The Lincoln-based bid is the third successful Safer Streets bid for Lincolnshire.