657 Police Surveillance Cameras
- Aiming to control Madrid nightlife and avoid thefts in pedestrian zones.
- Police see what’s happening live at “Plaza de España”, “Plaza de los Cubes”, “Plaza de Santo Domingo” and “Plaza Mayor”.
- Commission checked CCTV installation and gave permission to begin transmitting.
Big Brother’s watch in Madrid continues to expand...
Objectives are to control Madrid nightlife and monitor thefts and robberies. Municipal Police watch in real time everything that happens in Madrid’s city centre, 24 hours a day.
Some points coincide with Madrid's busiest pedestrian routes, like streets around “Plaza de España”, “Santo Domingo” and “Calle Mayor”.
This technology is already operational
The Commission inspected CCTV equipment and gave its approval. The Central Council System for Video Recordings (CISEVI) will be integrated and managed by Municipal Police.
Madrid now
has more than 200 surveillance cameras throughout Madrid with Police officers
monitoring “Plaza Mayor”, “Azca”, “Calle Montera”, “Calle Ballesta”, neighbourhoods
of “Lavapies” and “La Latina”, and the open-air museum on “Calle Eduardo Dato”.
In addition, are 177 municipal traffic cameras focus on main roads in Madrid and 280 more devices controlled by Traffic Police scattered on roads around the
region.
Specifically,
according to the company responsible for this new installation, project
includes placement of 6 cameras on “Gran Vía”, 3 on “Calle Princesa”, 2 in “Plaza de España”, 2 in “Plaza de Callao”, 4 on “Calle Arenal”, 3 in “Plaza
de Santo Domingo” and 5 in “Plaza Mayor”. The rest are shared between “Calle Preciados”,
“Plaza de Isabel II” and “Plaza del Carmen”, among other areas.
Cameras have great capacity for movement, turning up to 360 degrees, thus
preventing any dead spots, but they will have software will prevent
recording sensitive points, such as through building windows. They also have
zoom and can record both day and night.
Automatic Police Alert
 |
Politia de Bandera
|
10 out of these
47 devices feature analytical software which sends alerts to Police if it
detects certain behaviours, such as a group of people running, helping Police respond faster.
Viewing material
is restricted to a group specifically authorized agents. Images will be
stored for a maximum period of seven days, after which they are auto erased unless
requested by Police or a Judge.
Installation Cost €600,000
An expense, according to the Council, was justified because:
"We have seen a 10% reduction in the
number of incidents and Police resources."
Captured images will be stored for a maximum of 7 days
Despite initial doubts about these devices raised by residents when they began to install
them (especially around “Lavapies”), neighbours seem to have fully adapted to
them: "We agree they should be installed. Due to shouting, fights,
robberies and drug trafficking, we prefer to be monitored than to remain in this
situation", said by residents association for "Opera-Austrias". “We'll
see if cameras are useful, because recorded images, don’t detect noise we
put up with", added same spokesperson.
 |
| All Police forces in Spain are armed! All Officers carry hand guns! |
“CENTRO” District will become one of the most guarded areas in Madrid due
to increase of
thieves, fights and riots often occurring on the streets.
- In 2014, crime fell by 2.9% in Madrid, from 221364 to 214881 [that's 588 reports each DAY!]
Government believe improvement is mainly due to Police pressure exercised around Madrid's "hot spots", including city centre and “Azca”.
 |
| Eye in the Sky |
DRONES
Spanish Police and Fire Department have been using drones since 2013...
