Relax Mr Thomas, we could not run a police state if we tried.

robert everitt, wolverhampton,

Be careful what you write here and elsewhere in the public domain. The next target, not least for the hard/software budget allocations and no doubt in the name of public security or anti-terrorism, will be your free speech. Did I hear you say "too late!", GCHQ? Sorry sirs.

Mike L, Chippenham, Wilts

yet another example as if one was needed on how the government and its agencies waste our money.

john tilney, henley on thames, uk

CCTVs were never meant to lessen crime but enrich the Exchequery.

John, London, England

They can often prevent a situation from getting worse IF they have the skills and resources to handle drunk and violent people. If you train police to examine video and watch crime happen ....

SilaS, Brussels, Belgium

All you need is a hood or, if that fails and you're caught bang to rights, a total lack of legal aid.

David Masu, Zürich,

It's a circular argument: CCTV is useless because our coppers are useless.

Eric, London,

So we will have software to track logos on clothing. If I where a mugger a roll of black tape could come in handy. How much money do we pay for ideas such as this? Roll of tape pennies, software and more camera, millions

Michael Woods, Chorley, UK

Exactly as expected, CCTV has very little effect on crime, because there are not enough police on the streets to send to the scene of anything spotted on the screen. The police have given upon their prime duty to prevent crime.

KW, Bognor Regis , ENGLAND

They are used to catch motorist not criminals there is no money in catching Murderers, Rapists and Thugs.
This country is starting to look like the old USSR with big brother watching everything we do.
The Government treaty us all like little children, you must do this you can not do that.

Nemo

Jon Nemo, Llanelli, UK

The only thing that prevents crime and makes people feel safer are visible police officers. They can often prevent a situation from getting worse as they have the skills and resources to handle drunk and violent people.

Luke Nicolaides, London, UK

Identifying a widely-available branded jumper is not the same as identifying a suspect, is it? How does that constitute evidence of guilt?

Lies lies lies lies lies - we should tear them all down...it is time the people of this country reclaimed it for themselves - it does not belong to Gordon!

J. Wilkes, Gloucester,

Of course CCTV has its uses, since April anyone pulling over on a yellow line for 30 seconds can be charged with illegal parking by some drone watching a bank of TV's, Your number plate is super clear while the mugger round the corner cant be recognised because of his hoodie

John Webster, Aylesbury, Bucks

In the public sector money follows failure, so this will mean even more money being spent on CCTV surveillance.

Frank Upton, Solihull,

We have spent billions of pounds and it is mostly ineffective.
And the solution to this is to spend more?
Once again the State shows its complete inability to deliver value for money to the tax payer the waste is criminal.

AndyN, Reading,

Finally - someone identifies what we all knew. Now can we dismantle the surveillance state and redirect all that money to helping prevent crime rather than spying on citizens?

The UK is an international disgrace as the most spied upon nation with the fewest checks and balances for accountability.

charlie, London,

they may not be very efficient at stopping crime but they will be super efficient at identifying a motorist that has commited a momentary transgression such as stopping on a yellow line to blow his nose and therefore getting a ticket through the post!!

ex labour voter (another), warrington, England

Experience has shown that government data collection programs invariably suffer from function creep. Information collected for one purpose is subsequently used for other quite unrelated purposes. This wholesale spying is a gross intrusion into our privacy.

Adrian Ryan, Donegal, Ireland

In the same vain, cameras at the side of the road have not decreased speeding nor made the roads safer. However, they have raised millions of pounds in fines for the treasury.

David Leslie, Perth, Scotland

This is no surprise. They encourage "reacative" policing and not preventative patrolling. They have been used as an excuse to cut the number of police patrols in town centres. At least that definitely appears to be the case in Gloucester and Cheltenham.

Neil, Gloucestershire, England

A blatant effort to increase surveillance in Britain instead of admitting that coppers on the street are more effective.

The images are mostly useless and clothing will easily conceal facial details.

This senior copper and his team could contribute more effectively as plods on the street.

R Bingham, Lauzun, France

All they are good for are making TV shows. Someone is making money out of these CCTVs.

V Tan, London,

Would I be alone in thinking this policeman is making a slightly underhand plea for even more cameras so that crime might be detected?

Chris Palmer, Southampton, England

"CCTV boom has not cut crime" Was it ever intended to? The purpose any government policy is usually far removed from that in the promotional material. ID cards are a similar canard
Both track the populace in real time, may aid in detecting criminals after the event, but prevent a crime - never.

Bernard, Edinburgh, Scotland