Listening for trouble

A new range of CCTV cameras that have the ability to listen for potential crime are being considered for use in London, following successful trials in the Netherlands.

Developed in an attempt to curb the rising violence in Dutch cities, the system works by fitting existing CCTV cameras with microphones that can analyse the sound from the areas immediately surrounding the camera.

If an aggressive tone of voice is detected, an alarm sounds in the control room alerting the operator. Derek van der Vorst, the director of Sound Intelligence, creators of the technology, said: “Ninety percent of violent cases start with verbal aggression. With our system, the police can respond a lot quicker to a violent situation.”