Editorial: Smile, you're on camera

Talking about security cameras always brings up questions around privacy and the fear of having "Big Brother" watching our every move. Photo / Michael Cunningham

I was intrigued to learn there are more than 350 CCTV cameras in public places in Tauranga and the Western Bay.

That's more than I imagined there would be.

On top of that are security cameras inside private businesses - many supermarkets, dairies and petrol stations have them, just to name a few.

Those would push the number up immensely.

Of course, talking about security cameras always brings up questions around privacy and the fear of having "Big Brother" watching our every move.

It doesn't really bother me.

What is there to worry about if you are a decent, law-abiding citizen?

I've got nothing to hide, so why does it matter if the 350-plus cameras around the district capture me driving, going into a supermarket or community centre, or wandering around downtown?

It doesn't matter if people are watching me go about my life - it won't be that interesting.

For those of us who do keep the law and aren't hiding anything, surely the cameras are only there for our own good.

They can be used to help catch those who are up to no good.

In the past three years, police have requested footage from Tauranga City Council 861 times.

That, to me, says the cameras are being put to good use.

That's 861 crimes, such as assaults, bag snatches or dangerous driving which the police may have been able to make arrests for, thanks to the cameras.

Surely it is a deterrent to many criminals as well.

There will always be those low-level, spur-of-the-moment crimes where people haven't considered they may be caught on camera but it must put some people off.

Surely in the coming years there will only be more and more cameras in public places and I'm okay with that.

In fact, I'd go as far as saying I'd support it.

If you're out in public you expect people could see you and act accordingly, so having cameras around should not make a difference.

The presence of cameras is not a problem - as long as we never get to the stage where we have cameras in our homes.