NCJ Number
206821
Journal
Crime Prevention and Community Safety: An International Journal Volume: 6 Issue: 3 Dated: 2004 Pages: 43-55
Date Published
2004
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This study explored the role of closed-circuit television (CCTV) operators in a major retail chain, including the work they perform and their broader function within security departments and store structures.
Abstract
The main goal of the research was to discover what made CCTV operators suspicious and why in order to understand the impact a CCTV operator makes on a store and how that impact can be increased. The current research was commissioned by a major food retailer and focused on 17 stores outfitted with the same CCTV system. Direct observations were made of the CCTV operator's workday, along with interviews with operators and other staff concerning work practices and their views on the roles and positions within the organization. After analyzing what these CCTV operators did and why, several ways of improving the impact of the CCTV operator emerged. The findings revealed that stores with more CCTV operators reaped more benefits in terms of security; higher theft discovery rates were found, along with higher stock recovery rates and reduced loss. A designated CCTV operator was also beneficial in terms of providing an accessible focal point for security for all personnel. Training is another area in which potential benefits of CCTV operators could be improved; although currently there is no formalized, dedicated training system for CCTV operators. The knowledge and intelligence gathered by CCTV operators should also be better utilized to improve the impact of security monitoring. One suggestion for better intelligence utilization is the development of a password-protected intelligence intranet site for the local sharing of repeat offender images. Tables, notes, references