Surveillance Camera Commissioner launches survey to review the operation and impact of the surveillance camera code of practice.
The government’s response to the surveillance camera code of practice consultation in 2013 said the Surveillance Camera Commissioner would review the operation and impact of the code and report back in 2015.
The Surveillance Camera Commissioner is reviewing the surveillance camera code of practice and has launched an online survey to help gather views on it. The survey will close on 30 June 2015.
The surveillance camera code of practice sets out 12 guiding principles which strike a balance between protecting the public and upholding civil liberties.
The principles provide a coherent and comprehensive structure to enable good and transparent decision-making that will reassure the public that surveillance cameras are used to protect and support communities rather than spy on them.
Tony Porter was appointed Surveillance Camera Commissioner in March 2014. He has a combination of business and law enforcement expertise. He is an intelligence specialist (most recently within the financial sector) and retired senior police leader. His experience spans community and business engagement, international counter terrorism and serious and organised crime.
His role is to:
- encourage compliance with the surveillance camera code of practice
- review how the code is working
- provide advice to ministers on whether or not the code needs amending
- provide advice and information to the public and system operators about the effective, appropriate, proportionate and transparent use of surveillance camera systems.
And he works with the Home Office.
