Watchdog criticises CCTV cuts
Shrewsbury's police watchdog has criticised potential £100,000 cuts to the town's CCTV system which could see the end of 24-hour monitoring. Opponents fear the move is a step backwards in the fight against crime.
The chairman of Shrewsbury Community and Police Consultative Group has agreed to write to the borough council after fears were raised over plans which could see the end of the cameras being monitored round-the-clock.
Stewart Harbord-Suffield said Shrewsbury town centre was the county's hotspot for trouble and the cameras were an essential tool in the fight against crime.
Speaking at last night's PCCG meeting at The Guildhall he said: "The CCTV cameras have saved huge amounts of money by stopping a lot of crimes. How can you justify pruning money off something which is saving so much money?"
The PCCG's representative from Shrewsbury Town Centre Residents Association also criticised the plan.
Janet Goose said: "It would be a great mistake to cut the CCTV cameras because it protects the people, the economy and the people who are coming into the town as visitors."
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