Teignmouth Town Council is to bolster its CCTV system with a team of volunteers who will monitor the camera systems.

The town council is recruiting members of the public to observe public areas and report incidents.

‘The role supports crime prevention, public reassurance and partnership work with the police,’ a spokesperson from Teignmouth Town Council said. ‘This is an opportunity to gain new skills while making a positive contribution to the Teignmouth community,’ the spokesperson added.

Volunteers do not need any previous experience as the town council will provide training. But they must be reliable and able to maintain confidentiality.

Teignmouth Town Council has invested heavily in CCTV over the past couple of years and its state-of-the-art system includes 15 cameras that cover the seafront, town centre and Bitton Park.

Since the updated system was installed, footage from the cameras have helped solve a number of significant crimes. Anecdotally, the cameras have also contributed to a reduction in antisocial behaviour.

Last year, Teignmouth Town Council added three redeployable cameras to its CCTV inventory after being awarded a grant from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Elsewhere in Teignbridge, a number of local councils are investing in CCTV assets. Both Chudleigh and Kingsteignton town councils have recently been awarded grants from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to pay for CCTV equipment and associated infrastructure.

The grants were awarded from the OPCC’s Strategic Interventions Fund as part of a scheme aimed at reducing crime.

‘CCTV is such an effective tool in helping prevent and detect crime as well as offering reassurance to residents,’ commented Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Alison Hernandez.

Teignmouth Town Council is inviting anyone interested in being a CCTV volunteer to visit the town council website.