Community safety enhanced with completed CCTV network
Published on 18 July 2024
The City of Hobart has completed the CCTV network installation along Elizabeth Street, from North Hobart to the CBD, providing enhanced public safety and security as well as vital city planning data.
This project has been made possible through the Safer Communities Fund Infrastructure Grants program provided by the Federal Government.
Acting Hobart Lord Mayor Cr Dr Zelinda Sherlock said: "The completion of the CCTV network on Elizabeth Street is a crucial step towards ensuring the safety and security of our community.
“This advanced infrastructure will serve as a powerful tool in our efforts to potentially deter criminal activity and enhance public safety in the heart of Hobart."
This stage of the project included the installation of eight fixed cameras, focusing on the North Hobart Restaurant Strip from the Elphinstone Road intersection through to the Tasma Street intersection, and continuing down Elizabeth Street to join the existing network in the Elizabeth Street Mall.
North Hobart Traders Association President Lisa Martin said: “"Like many precincts in Hobart the North Hobart Traders have been the target of continual theft and undesirable behaviour.
“We are appreciative that these cameras, with the support of the Federal Government, are now in operation, and shall help to keep our customers, businesses, staff and community safe."
City Economy Portfolio Chair Ald Louise Bloomfield said this was the final stage in a broader project.
"The comprehensive CCTV network project encompasses the installation of 83 fixed and two semi-permanent security cameras, as well as fibre optic cabling to future-proof network capabilities,” Ald Bloomfield said.
“This infrastructure is critical in enhancing our ability to monitor and respond to various situations, ensuring a safer environment for all."
The City of Hobart will continue to develop the CCTV network with the goal of making the obtained material searchable, actionable, and quantifiable.
In the future, the city will have the ability to review hours of CCTV footage in minutes, respond more efficiently to critical situational changes, and quantitatively analyse recordings to derive actionable insights for data-driven safety, security, city planning, and operational decision-making.
It follows a successful joint operation between City of Hobart staff and Tasmania Police in a safety blitz last week that resulted in seven arrests in the CBD, demonstrating a collaborative effort aimed at keeping the community safe.
Tasmania Police Inspector John Toohey said: “While police will continue to proactively patrol the Hobart area, CCTV plays a crucial role in enhancing public safety and deterring criminal activity.
“As well as contributing to a safer environment for all members of the community, CCTV can provide valuable evidence for investigations, and can help police monitor and respond to incidents.”
Cr Dr Sherlock added, "We expect this network to provide a safe corridor between Salamanca, the Hobart CBD, and North Hobart, acting as a deterrent for criminal activity and anti-social behaviour within the CBD."