NCJ Number
56609
Date Published
1978
Length
18 pages
Annotation
VARIOUS FORMS OF OPTICAL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS TO BE USED IN BANKS ARE DESCRIBED TO AID IN POLICE COUNSELING IN WEST GERMANY.
Abstract
SUCH SYSTEMS ARE INTENDED TO PROVIDE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE FOR POLICE INVESTIGATIONS AND CRIME RECONSTRUCTIONS. SYSTEMS AVAILABLE FOR THIS PURPOSE ARE SINGLE PICTURE OPTICAL-MECHANICAL CAMERAS WITH PHOTOCHEMICAL STORAGE AND WITHOUT IMMEDIATE DISPLAY OR RECORDING OF ACTION SEQUENCES; CONTINUOUS FILM PHOTOGRAPHS WITH PHOTOCHEMICAL STORAGE AND ACTION SEQUENCES, BUT WITHOUT IMMEDIATE DISPLAY, AND WITH POOR RESOLUTION AND LIMITED REPRODUCTION POSSIBILITIES; VIDEOTAPE TELEVISION CAMERAS WITH IMMEDIATE DISPLAY OF ACTION AND REPLAY CAPABILITY, ALTHOUGH WITH POOR RESOLUTION OF INDIVIDUAL PICTURES AND WITH HIGH COSTS; AND A COMBINED PHOTO-TELEVISION SYSTEM PERMITTING IMMEDIATE DISPLAY AND GOOD RESOLUTION OF INDIVIDUAL PICTURES WITHIN AN AUTOMATIC SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM. THE WORK GROUP FOR THE PREVENTION OF BANK ROBBERIES OF THE PERMANENT CONFERENCE OF WEST GERMAN MINISTERS OF THE INTERIOR HAS DEVELOPED GUIDELINES FOR THE USE OF OPTICAL SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS FOR ROBBERY PREVENTION AND THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION HAS CONDUCTED TESTS ESTABLISHING THAT THE COMBINED PHOTO-TELEVISION SYSTEM IS THE METHOD OF CHOICE, BUT UNTIL RECENTLY CREDIT INSTITUTIONS HAVE HESITATED TO INSTALL SUCH SYSTEMS BECAUSE OF THE COSTS. GUIDELINES SET BY THE BANKS' CENTRAL CREDIT COMMITTEE SPECIFY THE TYPE, LOCATION, SPEED, NUMBER, AND LIGHT SENSITIVITY OF CAMERAS TO BE PLACED IN ANY GIVEN BANK FACILITY, WITH MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR INSTALLATION. POLICE COUNSELING OFFICES SHOULD BE PREPARED TO GIVE INSTRUCTIONS ON SYSTEM INSTALLATION AND FURNISH OBJECTIVE ADVICE ON DEALING WITH PRODUCERS. EXAMPLES OF HOW THE CAMERAS ARE USEFUL IN POSITIVELY IDENTIFYING BANK ROBBERS SHOW THAT WITH THE GROWING USE OF CAMERA SYSTEMS IN BANKS A MARKED DECREASE IN ROBBERIES HAS OCCURRED. ILLUSTRATIONS ARE SUPPLIED. --IN GERMAN. (KMD)