Zooming in on camera system

Leon Allatt (12) is a member of North Hull Youth Forum. The group has been looking at how to improve the area including ways to combat crime. Here, Leon writes about his visit to Civic One, Hull's CCTV Control Centre.

Leon takes control at the CCTV control centre	Above Leon Allatt aged 12

"On 20th June 2007, me and a friend from the Youth Forum went to the CCTV Control Centre.
We went because we wanted to see how the system works in the city.
"When we arrived at Civic One, we found out about data protection and how you could not reveal people's details and how, when you look through the cameras, you can't look through people's windows, not even your own.
"After that we went into the big control room and there were screens everywhere.
Gary, the CCTV control room worker, showed us a particular camera that zooms in on the outside of the Civic One building.
This camera was recording all the time and when we looked at the footage, it allowed us to see ourselves coming into the building.
"After this we each got to have a go at controlling some of the cameras.
This was really cool and all the cameras in the city are numbered.
You can turn them round with a gear stick and the cameras have little wipers on them, so you can wipe the rain off a camera in Bransholme all the way from the CCTV control room.
It was such an enjoyable visit and really interesting to see how CCTV works. It was wicked."

If any other organised groups of young people would like to go to Civic One, they should contact Gary Cooper on 318971