Due to an ever increasing number of taxi crime, from fare-dodging to serious assaults, Police Scotland introduced an in-cab CCTV initiative into Dunfermline cabs in May 2014.
A Significant Change
One year on and the statistics prove that the crime rate has significantly dropped since the CCTV equipment was put in place. Just two incidents have occurred since its launch last year compared to a previous 41 reports over the same length of time when the cameras were not in use.
Sergeant, Neil McGurk, said: “I’ve had a good response from local taxi drivers.
“The scheme has a number of different uses, both for taxi drivers and for members of the public.
“We get a lot of taxi frauds and other anti-social incidents including assaults, so we hope this will give them a bit more security.”
Police Scotland also commented on the fact that the camera footage had extensively helped when investigating the recent cases.
Success
The initiative has been hailed a success by all involved and is now being rolled out across Kirkcaldy and Levenmouth. Fife Council Licensing Officer, Donald Jenks, said that 25 operators had expressed an interest in these areas, meaning that approximately 90 more taxis will hopefully sign up to the scheme.
“Levels of violence in taxis have come down quite significantly.”
In response to queries over the cameras infringing on human rights, Councillor Bob Young, chairman of the Fife Licensing Board, said: “If you walk down any high street there’s CCTV – the procurator fiscal said it doesn’t see a problem with it.
“All taxis fitted with CCTV will have a sign to advise customers that it’s in use and if someone wants it deleted it would be up to the taxi driver.”
Councillor Tom Adams reiterated that joining the scheme was at the driver’s discretion. He said: “In Dunfermline, since the introduction of cameras, there have hardly been any incidents of runners and levels of violence in taxis have come down quite significantly.
“That said, we’re by no means trying to force this on anybody. It’s purely voluntary.”