Despite support from police for the use of CCTV, and its popularity in public places, there has been limited research into the use of CCTV by police for investigative purposes.The current study attempted to better understand police demand for CCTV footage from the NSW rail network. Results showed the police made an average of 17 requests per day for footage, mostly for criminal investigations. On both the metropolitan and intercity network, requests were more common for stations that recorded a higher number of incidents, had more cameras, and had fewer patrons. Once station characteristics were taken into account, the findings suggested that CCTV footage was more likely to be requested from those stations with lower levels of public surveillance. This research can help to inform the design, layout and management of CCTV systems on public transport and in other locations.
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