Mallow moves to provide 24-hour CCTV monitoring

MOVES are under way to provide 24-hour monitoring of CCTV in a North Cork town – instead of the current system whereby video footage from cameras is surveyed only after a crime has been committed.

Currently footage from the eight CCTV cameras in Mallow is fed to a monitoring system in the local town hall where it is recorded.

However, members of the town’s Joint Policing Committee (JPC) want the cameras moved to the local Garda station where they can be monitored around the clock by gardaí.

Cllr Jerry Mullally, chairman of Mallow JPC, said his committee is working closely with the Mallow Chamber of Commerce to provide a 24-hour monitoring system at Mallow Garda Station.

“It would be of immense benefit in tackling crime, especially when incidents could be nipped in the bud,” Mr Mullally said.

It will cost in the region of €10,000 to relay the system into the Garda station and fundraising is being organised to achieve that target.

Community-based CCTV was installed in Mallow in February 2009, three years after it was first mooted.

A total of €169,000 was spent by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform on the eight cameras.

Four of them monitor the town centre; others cover the town park and two playgrounds. There is also a camera set up outside the municipal swimming pool which also covers the youth centre.

Mr Mullally (Lab) said it was also planned to install two additional cameras in Bridge Street, which will be part-funded by the OPW and Mallow Town Council.

He said it would be far better to have all the cameras operating live feeds into the Garda station where trained personnel would be able to monitor crimes and suspicious activity.

However, since the installation of the cameras nearly two years ago, there has been a reduction in public order offences and crime in general in the town centre, which Mr Mullally said was very welcome.

He pointed out that the Mallow JPC had also agreed to make an application to the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform for additional cameras which would be placed in other parts of the town.