Citizens guarding communities: Conflict needs to be resolved

Over recent days, questions about how citizens might use technology to try to protect communities or individuals from criminals — violent thieves or suspected paedophiles — have been pushed to the fore of public discourse.

In Midland counties, community groups use surveillance cameras, especially at motorway roundabouts, to try to counter the gangs attacking isolated homes. These gangs often inflict gratuitous, independence-ending violence on their victims.

Nevertheless, it has been suggested that data protection legislation may prevent any evidence gathered in this way being used to secure a conviction.