Big Brother is here to help you

By Alex Delaney

BIG Brother has gone interactive in Islington. A CCTV camera controlled by the touch of a button now stands on the corner of Holloway Road and Seven Sisters Road.

The button, fitted to electronic information stands throughout Islington, allows a person in an emergency to speak directly to the council’s 24 hour CCTV control room.
One man has already abused the emergency button, according to Marjory Peddie, Islington Council spokesperson. She said: “He kept pushing the button and then running up the Holloway Road. We have cameras all the way along so we were able to catch him and give him a warning.”
She said: “people have pushed the button by accident or because they were curious - in that case we just speak to them and tell them what it is really for.”
The kiosk has only been used for an emergency once since its installation in January when three women used it to inform the police they had their mobiles stolen.
The kiosk is labelled as an emergency help point with the Metropolitan police and Islington Council logo, but there is no information telling the public that the button is directly linked to a 24 hour CCTV centre, or what help the kiosk can offer.
Islington Council said they are using technology to fight crime and make the public feel safer. Cllr Marisha Ray, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Community Safety, said: “We are excited by this kiosk, which offers help on a level not available anywhere else in the country - the potential for future development is great. We hope that the kiosk will be a reassuring presence to help people feel safer, especially vulnerable people, as well as act as a deterrent for criminals.”
The kiosk is opposite City and Islington College. Sunina Mushtaq a spokeswoman for the college said: “I was unaware that this scheme was being started here, it is an important student safety issue.”

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