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The largest number of urban monitoring cameras are found in Chinese metropolises.To these Asian cities in Europe is still far away.However, it is already estimated in London that there are almost 440 monitoring cameras for 1 square kilometer.

- There are not many cameras in Polish cities as in London, but the trend is noticeable.Their number is increasing every year - says Wojciech Klicki from the Panoptykon Foundation.- The problem is that no one is able to answer the question thoroughly and specifically how many of these cameras, e.g..in Warsaw or another city.Cameras are dispersed - some of them belong to the local government, some to the police, city guard and private entities: to banks, to cooperatives or housing communities - he mentions.

The reasons for installing cameras on the streets are varied.Engineering cameras allow you to manage traffic and e.g..adapt the length of the green light to the actual traffic intensity.

The most common reason for installing monitoring is a safety improvement in the area.- this is the main declared purpose of the camera functioning.I say "declared" because, according to research of various scientists, the influence of cameras on safety is limited - says a specialist.- It is usually the case that crimes, the most troublesome, everyday, are not usually planned, and are the result of a moment, impulse, drugs, alcohol.And such a person, e.g..destroys cars, sets fire to the dustbin, does something bothersome.The camera will not stop such a person.The second group of crimes is planned crimes, these monitoring will not stop, because if they want to commit a crime, they first go to watch where the cameras are.Then, for example.decide to put on a balaclava hat or slightly move the place of crime - he adds.

Many people say that installing a camera in a dark alley gives a sense of security, calms down.Cameras are often what we expect.

- Contrary to what we can think based on articles in tabloids or other media, the level of crime is decreasing year after year - says the interlocutor of the four.- it's a deeper issue than the monitoring installation.This is the result of a lot of factors, M.in.enrichment of society, social changes - he adds.

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- The fact of observing us raises many doubts, if it works perfectly, it would not be a problem - notes Wojciech Klicki.- With municipal monitoring, the situation is relatively simple - the recording goes to the archive of the monitoring unit.There is a certain number of days and then deleted.During the archiving, the institution and many services have access to it - he explains.- The situation is more complicated when monitoring belongs to someone else - he adds.

Often walking through the city, we do not know who the cameras belong to, which observe us, who records our image.- In such cases there are questions about the legitimacy of recording, anxiety about surveillance increases - says the interlocutor Maciej Wójcik.- These fears are intensified by images that leaked to the network, e.g..from cameras in the dressing room.

The technology is moving forward.Cameras are already known with facial recognition functions, recognizing license plates or dangerous events.Wojciech Klicki notes, however, that a larger number of police patrols or even better lighting of dark alleys works much better in counteracting crime.

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The title of the broadcast: TOP - a bit of optimism in the afternoon

Led by: Kuba Marcinowicz

The material was prepared by: Maciej Wójcik

Emission date: 25.08.2021

Emission hour: 18.22

PJ