French Riviera town gets first 'talking' CCTV cameras

Updated
Mandelieu-la-Napoule gets talking CCTV cameras
Mandelieu-la-Napoule gets talking CCTV cameras



An upmarket town in France has become the country's first department to install 'talking CCTV'.

Mandelieu-la-Napoule, a playground for the rich and famous on the French Riviera, will see the talking CCTV cameras tell public off for dropping litter or parking badly.

See also: CCTV will catch drivers who drop litter from cars

See also: CCTV installed in public toilet in London


The cameras will be equipped with loudspeakers which will allow control centre staff to tell people off for anti-social behaviour like failing to pick up dog poo.

A number of civil liberties groups have blasted the idea as too invasive.

According to the report in the Daily Telegraph, Jean-Marie Montali of Le Parisien newspaper, said it is "Big Brother in Mandelieu" and suggested that the town had better things to spend its money on than "a voice from the heavens to warn you not to step out of line".

But the deputy mayor, Sébastien Leroy, claimed that 'talking' CCTV would ultimately save the local council money as it would be a good deterrent.

He explained: "A single 'motocrotte' vehicle to vacuum up dog faeces costs €130,00 (£102,000) a year.

"[The talking CCTV] is like smacking a child's bottom. When one person is told off, there are usually several dozen others nearby who hear the message. It has a snowball effect."

In Britain, there are already 20 areas that have the 'talking' CCTV cameras installed, added the Telegraph.



Visit the Saint-Paul De Vence Art Village in the French Riviera
Visit the Saint-Paul De Vence Art Village in the French Riviera

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