POLICE have already taken footage from town centre CCTV cameras as part of a criminal investigation - despite the fact the system is not officially in operation, writes Becky Procter.
Unforeseen problems mean the scheme will now not be unveiled until Friday, November 9, seven months after the original launch date.
Signs stating CCTV is in operation are yet to go up but several of the 14 cameras have been working for some time.
By law, Redditch Community Safety Partnership, which set up the scheme, has to put up signs stating the town centre is covered by CCTV in time for the official switch on.
But agreed protocol between Redditch Council and police allows tapes to be handed over before signs go up.
Under this clause, police have already been able to seize tapes from the control room.
A partnership spokesman said: "The agreed protocol states the council can hand over CCTV footage to police if requested.
"It has to be for prevention or detection of crime, or prosecution or apprehension of offenders."
Pc Robin White, of Redditch police told a town centre partnership meeting: "We have now had incidents where officers have seized video tapes for evidence purposes."
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