I was the inspector in charge of the CCTV cameras installed in Brighton from about six months after they went live for two years. Initially the controllers - non-police staff - created a video of incidents which we called 'The outakes'. Only one copy of this was made for security reasons - security of my job - and it was shown to demonstrate the types of offences that were being detected and solved by the cameras which would have gone unpunished and probably unreported without them. The video became and bit worn and twisted after a while so I asked the controllers to make me another. After two weeks they said that they were unable to due to the lack of incidents in the covered area.

Whilst I have strong reservations regarding the installation of CCTV cameras in areas other than those where public order is a problem, I have to say that, despite initial scepticism, I am a convert for the centres of towns.

Derek Smith, Brighton, UK

It was clever of Michael Gove, MP, in his Tuesday 4th September column to contrast his appreciation of Wagner with the Guardian’s “fawning tribute” to Dr. Eric Hobsbawm. Though Gove was careful to disassociate himself from Wagner’s repellent opinions and conduct, he was less careful in his condemnation of Hobsbawm. No mention of Hobsbawm demonstrating against the Nazis in Berlin in 1933, nor of his membership of the Order of Companions of Honour, nor of his being called “our greatest living historian” by the Spectator, a periodical not noted for being “On the Left”. Moreover Hobsbawm’s support of communism was not glossed over in the Guardian’s profile, nor was his assertion that millions of deaths would have been justified to create a communist utopia. Gove reveals himself to be as capable of spin as any apparatchik.

John Brennan, London,

crime is financed by our government the largest heroine and cocaine ring in the world is operated by congress,the bibbest pediphile ring in the world is run by congress the biggest stock insider rackett is by congress and our congress violates the genicide act part 2 every day and no one does anything,2/3 of all incarcerated inmates are immigrants. and 2/3 of all immigrants are criminals and our country denies it the homeland security and the patriot act are coomunistic the so clled national emer\gency that the president and congress use is public law 313 the war powers act where in 1954 this contry declared all out war against japan. we have documented 10 times as much oil ij this country than the persian gulf why asre we dependent on foreign oil why ws bush senior when the swedish banker proved that he and 2 aids stole 2 billiob dollars from the u's'a go to the law library there is no such legal term as immigrant,shortly you'll have unwanted guessts in your house,you'll hear denials

Dennis White, Beaumont, riverside/Calif

This is the type of control revered by the Labour party for years.

The only way the success and freedom of these islands can be sustained is for people to ever more vigilant and demand referendums on important issues such as this.

Our police aren't much cop at reducing crime but are ever more competent at self promotion and wasting public time.

Karl Brinkley, London,

To bad that private ownership of firearms is so restricted in the U.K. Those in favor of a police state would have so much more to worry about from the populace. Your days as a free society, that the world looked up to, are numbered.

Mike Easton, Meadville, USA

There is only one way in which our government has been able to get away with this; deliberately installing a sense of fear in everyone. Fear of AIDS, fear of bird flu, fear of crime, fear of global warming, fear of mad cow disease, etc etc etc. And now, of course, the biggest of the lot: fear of terrorism. Fear has always been used as a way of controlling people. This being so, then the first step we need to take is to refuse to be afraid, and as the media is by and large only too keen to spread the fear, then perhaps we need to consider our support of those elements within the media that are the worse culprits.
Finally, let us not forget the criminalising of once legal protest, which has gone hand in hand with the fear-mongering. It is very disappointing when people forget that protest is a healthy sign of a free society, and as such should be embraced regardless of whether we agree with the cause or not.

Chris, Bristol,

The Crown Prosecution Service, for example, has no figures on the success of CCTV in prosecuting crime.

For crying out loud - except in all the terrorism cases from july 7, and 21, and the Feb cartoon demos to date.

JJ, London,

Totally agree - other countries don't seem to have this supersnooping system and yet don't have our levels of crime. If police actually had a respectable detection rate for crimes that ordinary people are concerned about it would help!

kay, leeds,

Litle by little, day by day, the walls are closing in on us. More and more sophisticated surveilance, an ever-growing list of things we are no longer trusted to own, use, eat or drink. The dead hand of the Health & Safety Executive stops ever more activities by making "safety precautions" prohibitively expensive or irksome. This has described - acurately - as "infantilising the public". Its a truism that if you pay people peanuts you get monkeys : if you treat people like irresponsible children then don't be surprised if they behave irresponsibly !

David Lewis, High Wycombe, UK

I am increasingly concerned about the number of cameras, CCTVs, databases containing our details, and so on. Personal freedom is being eroded ever more quickly. My question is: What can we do? How can we stop this intrusion into our lives? Most people don't seem to mind, but also seem unwilling to think through what this loss of freedom could lead to. Short of writing replies on pages like this, or going into politics, I'm really not sure what I can do about it though.

Stian Eriksen, Slough, England

"Big Brother is watching you" has become the true reality of our time.

Sasha, London,

You write; "What about the legality of the drone, I asked the police?"

What was (is) the answer to this question? Are the police allowed to do this?

Patrick, London,

An effective defence would be a ring of large helium-filled balloons around and amongst any legal gathering of law abiding people who would prefer not to be under surveillance from the air. It worked against the Luftwaffe.

Coming up next week: Government bans large helium-filled balloons.

David Masu, Zürich,

The problem is most people don't comprehend the value of their privacy and civil rights - of course the media and the fearmongering government actively make sure they don't either. The erosion of our rights is unmistakable and accelerating; and it's going in one direction only: that of a police state. Only we are to blame.
Only when someone comes beating at their door will they start waking up, but by then it'll be too late.

Eric Ruthman, Cardiff, UK

Welcome to the Big Brother police state love, if you think they'r gonna stop now you better go knock your head on the wall and WAKE UP.

CARY G DEAN, RYDE, ,

We have the Scientific Entirety of the Supreme Law of the Land (and the Scientific Government Training Programs developed therefrom); implement the programs and the WWII, Battle of the Bulge-like counterfeiters won't gain profit or empowerment from their illegal-usage of our materials....which, of course, increases debt and crime (as the new Higher Science of Love reproves; the Unification Science, no longer theory), as your doubling of the violent crime rate evidences. Who knows, England may even claim the prize (geting there first) and prove the blessings of the Crown (a real, non-arbitrary, commodity)! Write if you're interested in trying the first test-materials from these discoveries (which include, as Sir Newton might've said, the New Sciences of Childhood, Adulthood/Emancipation, Parenthood, Love, Beauty, Sanity, Addiction, Every Valid Religion, Every Government Office, Absolute /I.Q./, &more---where Algebra's Imaginary Numbers fail and two wrongs/negatives NEVER equal a right)

Dr. Eric Durand, New Orleans, La.

Patrick asks are the Police allowed to do this ?
The short answer is :Who knows ?
Senior Officers and senior Civil Servants will be wined and dined.Then voila ! The Police have a "new weapon with which to protect us the Public."
Lots of money will be spent (and made) Up goes the Council Tax.
Therein Patrick lies your answer.

Peter Bolt, Redditch, UK

Thanks for your article Heather, a voice of sanity!
This is another big brother control tactic. Taxpayers money has too be spent on more intelligent projects (not intelligence enforcements) such as providing facilities such as youth clubs and well organised youth activities for our very much neglected vulnerable teenagers.
An awareness programme could be funded calling for a ban on extremely violent video games and TV, pointing out how detrimental violence is to the young human mind, all ages have access to these invasive devices and for most parents it is impossible to monitor this 24/7 as the TV and games consoles are well used babysitters.
Lets hope we find a way to re-direct resources to really help society not to make us more afraid of each other.
It is unacceptable that the police have been given such power, only by exposing the true nature of why all of this surveillance is happening will we be able to stand together and say no. Let us citizens decide whats good for us.

Jo Griffiths, London,

This is just another case of the Big Brother state. A Londoner is filmed over 300 times a day. But the 7/7 London bombers were only caught once by a camerma in Luton. These cams and drones are to watch the public at large. NOT THE REAL CRIMINALS! What next. Cameras in our homes.

Dave Sherlock, Swanley, GB

Wake up. David Icke was right.

Craig, Deerfield Beach , USA

You write; "What about the legality of the drone, I asked the police?"

What was (is) the answer to this question? Are the police allowed to do this?

Patrick, London,

I am gobsmacked by the large number of responses to this article! Petersons Law says that each rises to their first level of incompetence. The Police are a classic example. What are Police 'for'. Who cares? The constables and sergeants, and maybe some inspectors, are just trying. Incompetence is at the top. Most Chiefs and Deputy Chiefs are frustrated social workers [Remember Victoria Climbe] and have or are pursuing MBA's to make them 'legitimate' in offering More Bad Advice.

Peter Crombie, Garstang,

The last four words are the key. Police have long demonstrated this on many occasions, the only time, it would seem, that any citizen has rights is when they have commited a crime. Logic would demand the opposite.
The word that sums up current police thinking is "control". We just have to hope that the paper thin protection we have against this becoming "total control" continues in place.

mike gee, bournemouth, uk

Thank you Heather Brooke. We need more people willing and able to protest articulately as you have. The police seem to have no idea of the extent to which they are losing the trust of the mainstream population of this country. They use all this technology and demand more and more draconian laws yet seem unable to make the streets safe or respond effectively to the issues that actually concern most people. I was not surprised that the polce had difficulty persuading people to come forward with on the record information after the murder of young Rhys in Liverpool. I've never been in trouble in my life but I would not voluntarily have anything to do with the police knowing that, even as a witness, I'd appear forever on their databases just in case they or some other agency or foreign police force might find the information they held about me useful at sometime. In my opinion the police in the UK have lost the plot.

Tal Earl-Aine, Cheltenham,

Within a few years, I predict a baby will not be able to leave the hospital without its DNA profile being taken and recorded away.

Jim, Texas, USA

Great article , the Police have no respect for the public , and so shouldn't be surprised that the public reciprocate .

Benzo, Nr Chelmsford,

The widespread use of speed cameras has led to a new phenomenon, drivers speed everywhere else. Yesterday, for instance, on the A50 was a perfect example. A fifty mile an hour limit was being widely ignored. And who can blame motorists? When actually called upon to police themselves they do what they need to do in the circumstances. Satellite navigation systems make the process all that much easier so the crime of speeding becomes a tussle between technologies rather than right and wrong. Whether you are the stranger in town or not, if your system tells you in advance of speed traps then you are one of life's winners. If you are in a strange town without technical assistance you are bound, sooner or later, no matter how diligent, to get nicked. Driving to John Lennon Airport from Cheshire the road is littered with cameras, the road is constantly switching limits and this is a road that is serving a major destination. Better roads would breed better driving.

Malcolm Turner, Alsager, England