CCTV cameras are an "extremely useful" cctv tools in tackling crime and disorder in Swansea town centre, within the opinion of South Wales Police.

The force said the technology had proved its price in handling a variety of problems from high-profile murders through to drunken anti-social behaviour in Wind Street.
Police spoke-out when the leader of Swansea Council questioned the effectiveness of CCTV.

During a council meeting Chris Holley said cameras had done very little to chop down on criminality, and might need simply moved issues to different areas not lined by them.

A council vote on putting extra cash into the system was defeated.

In response to the comments, a spokesman for South Wales Police said: "CCTV is an especially useful gizmo each in terms of prevention and intervention.

"It is beneficial for a variety of incidents that police need to affect.

"For example, CCTV proved very important within the David Williams murder case, and it's additionally helpful in handling incidents in Wind Street where it will facilitate to spot victims and assailants, and in tackling delinquent hotspots."

The body of homeless man Mr Williams was found in an exceedingly lined alcove outside Iceland on January seven.

Darren Rigdon, 34, and Christopher Hart, 38, killed the 26-year-old in an early-hours attack last January.

The brothers were convicted of murder when a 15-day trial at Swansea Crown Court.

Footage

During the trial it absolutely was heard how CCTV footage showed Mr Williams and his killers embracing within the town centre and drinking along in an exceedingly doorway at the YMCA shortly before the murder.

It was additionally said that a scarcity of CCTV coverage round the murder scene close to Iceland had created it an honest place to hold out an attack.

The police spokesman continued: "We have additionally used it (CCTV) to spot folks concerned within the offer of medicine."

There are currently a hundred and fifty cameras covering the county of Swansea, with most of the cameras based mostly within the town centre together with Mumbles, Morriston, Pontarddulais and Swansea Enterprise Park.

Neath city centre has thirty one street cameras, whereas Port Talbot has twenty one.

There are seventy across Carmarthenshire, mainly within the centres of Carmarthen, Llanelli and Ammanford.

Mr Holley created his CCTV comments when the Labour opposition tabled a motion throughout Monday's council budget dialogue calling for £19,000 to be taken out of native authority reserves to assist fund the cameras.

Labour leader David Phillips said the additional investment would facilitate to "deter and management crime".

During the talk the leader said: "You get lulled into a false sense of security once you see of these cameras regarding.

"Kodak build higher ones.

"You need to inspect what coverage you get with CCTV."

He added: "We could need to inspect whether or not it's safer to require it out or keep it in."

The modification was defeated in an exceedingly vote within the chamber, with twenty seven councillors voting in favour, 32 against, and 2 abstentions.

Speaking to the Post yesterday, Mr Holley said he wished to "clarify" what he had meant within the dialogue — and said CCTV had a job to play in tackling crime, which he was keen to figure with the police.

The camera system in Swansea is run by Safer Swansea Partnership, an organisation that brings along the native authority and police.

A spokesman for the partnership said: "There are approximately a hundred and fifty CCTV cameras in Swansea that are used to assist monitor all aspects of crime.

"Incidents observed on the cameras will cause the fast intervention of police and different emergency services.

"The cameras are used as a part of a wider strategy linked to crime prevention in Swansea."