Two CCTV cameras have been installed in the Memorial Gardens in Crawley town centre following concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour from residents and businesses. The cameras, which went live on 8 August, have been purchased by the Safer Crawley Partnership, which has secured funding via the Safer Streets 4 programme.
Crawley Borough Council and the Crawley Town Centre Business Improvement District (BID) used funding they had secured from the Police and Crime Commissioner to purchase the cameras. They will monitor activity within the gardens and provide police and the council with evidence to combat crime and disorder.
The high specification cameras are equipped with infrared night vision capability to ensure that even with low-light conditions, those involved with crime can still be easily identified. It is hoped that the cameras will provide reassurance to those using the gardens and increase their sense of safety, particularly when the gardens are less busy.
Wendy Bell, Crawley Town Centre BID Manager, said:
"Crawley Town Centre BID is delighted to see this new public and business safety measure; working in partnership with Crawley Borough Council and Sussex Police this is a huge step forward to improving the visitor experience in the Memorial Gardens. The town centre is lucky have the Green Flag-awarded gardens and it is a beautiful public space which we hope that more people will be able to enjoy responsibly and safely. We are very grateful to all involved for these improvements."
Councillor Yasmin Khan, Chair of the Safer Crawley Partnership and Cabinet member for Public Protection, Crawley Borough Council, said:
"I’m pleased to see these new CCTV cameras in the Memorial Gardens. People visiting our beautiful park deserve to feel safe at all times. These cameras will act as a valuable deterrent to anyone involved in crime and anti-social behaviour."
Ben Starns, District Commander, Sussex Police, said:
"This is another excellent example of the Safer Crawley Partnership providing reassurance and improvements in public safety to the community of Crawley. Any town centre can be the focus of crime and anti-social behaviour but the partnerships in Crawley are committed to improving public safety and bringing those responsible for crime and ASB to justice. The cameras are a significant benefit to the area."
The cameras can be live streamed to Sussex Police headquarters and accessed by officers at Crawley Police Station. This will support ongoing efforts to identify individuals involved in crime and to support prosecutions against those who misuse the space.
The Safer Crawley Partnership is a statutory partnership which requires the council, the police and a range of partners to work together to reduce and prevent crime. The partnership renewed its priorities in January 2023 which now focus on youth-related anti-social behaviour, serious and organised crime, violence against women and girls, drug-related offending, protecting vulnerable individuals and cost of living-related crime.
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