Arrests for guns, drugs and violent brawls have been made recently thanks to the rapid response of Ealing Council’s CCTV control room.

Some of the incidents spotted by CCTV operators were a man seen firing a gun, a doorman fighting with partygoers and a chancer hiding drugs, all in the last month.

CCTV cameras picked up a man firing a weapon outside the Tudor Rose nightclub in Southall. Operators trained cameras on the man and kept the Police informed about what car he got into and where it went. Suspects were later arrested.

The cameras also helped provide vital footage of a violent attack outside a licensed premises in Greenford Broadway. The attack was first spotted on the cameras and then reported to the Police. The Council’s Licensing department and Police are investigating the incident further.

Police officers were seen on camera searching a man suspected of having drugs on him. The officers did not find anything on the suspect and let him go.

As soon as the Police had left the area, the suspect returned to the same spot. He went back to a bush, and removed a package, which he had managed to stash before being stopped. The Police, who were in constant contact with the control room, returned and made an arrest.

Councillor Sue Emment, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, said: “The Council has invested heavily in CCTV as part of its drive to make Ealing safer."
“The Council’s CCTV control room operators are the ‘virtual’ eyes of the borough. They allow the Police and other emergency services to respond quickly to situations and catch criminals faster.”

“CCTV cameras are there to catch people breaking the law, if you have done nothing wrong you have nothing to worry about. Like it or not CCTV cameras are here to stay and are proving their worth every day by helping the Police catch thugs and criminals.”