Harlow council uses MMS to catch vandals

Harlow Council is turning to citizens with mobile camera phones to help it keep tabs on vandals, reports vnunet.

"The town is encouraging people to take pictures of anti-social acts on their mobile phones and then text them to a special number along with details of where the vandalism has occurred.

'This new service will help increase people's involvement in making Harlow a safer cleaner place to live by expanding the ways in which some forms of anti-social behaviour is reported to us,' according to Councillor Chris Millington.

.. Another councillor, Kevin Brooks, warns people not to put themselves in danger by taking photographs of actual crimes being committed."

I don't feel comfortable with such a general appeal to the public to turn people in, you can so easily see how such a plan will go wrong. Pranksters sending in false information, people's privacy being violated. And just generally creating a "brothers keeper" climate.

emily | 10:02 AM | Camphone snapshots nab criminals |
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