Mackay Regional Council plans to continue improving the safety and security of the public in the inner city area of Mackay by installing additional CCTV to integrate with the existing taxi rank cameras and provide improved coverage.
Council has also replaced older closed circuit television surveillance models at taxi waiting areas in Wood and Victoria Sts and added cameras at the intersections of Wood and Victoria and Gregory and Victoria Sts.
Mackay District Crime Prevention Unit's senior constable Steve Smith said police had already used footage to apprehend suspects.
"Our comms centre can see the footage live," snr const Smith said. "We had a call for wilful damage, comms were able to watch the footage, see what was happening and assist a patrolling vehicle that was in the area to apprehend the person."
Meanwhile, Mackay Regional Council’s acting director of community and client services, Lawrence Booth, said recently that CCTV cameras in the city centre enhanced the safety of the community.
"If people know they're being recorded 24 hours a day, it will hopefully deter them from inappropriate or anti-social behaviour," he said.
The original system at Mackay city centre was enhanced thanks to a $A150,000 grant funding. The application was initiated by Queensland Police Service through City Safe Mackay and supported by Mackay Regional Council’s City Focus Advisory Committee.
Mackay City Council building
Economic Development portfolio councillor, Dave Perkins, said the application was a collaborative effort between a number of agencies and organisations.
“Over 1200 applications put forward an expression of interest for this funding and Mackay was among only 20 capital projects approved.”
That funding expanded the existing CCTV network and provided additional coverage of hot spots within the city centre.
“The CCTV camera system now covers the nightclub precinct in Victoria Street, as well as Wood Street and Gregory Streets,” said senior crime prevention officer, Ron Waters Marsh.
Waters Marsh, who was integral to the preparation of the application, said the additional cameras would become part of an already established network of crime prevention in the Mackay City Centre to promote and enhance safety.
“With the eyes of extra cameras on people, particularly at night, hopefully we will stamp out any potential troublemakers,” he said.
Council has acknowledged the Mackay Queensland Police Service and Group CCTV for their significant assistance throughout the application period.♦
