A senior detective has questioned the effectiveness of CCTV, saying it helps solve only a tiny minority of street crimes and that its use has been an “utter fiasco”.

Detective Chief Inspector Mick Neville, head of the Metropolitan police’s division on visual images, identifications and detections, wants better training for police officers in using CCTV, more sophisticated technology and a national database to allow offenders to be tracked and identified.

Britain is the surveillance capital of the world, with one camera for every 14 people according to civil rights groups, and billions of pounds has been spent on setting up systems.

Last year the Home Office, which has ploughed millions into CCTV projects, itself questioned the effectiveness of some systems as the footage they provided was not good enough to be used as evidence in court.

CCTV has always proved to be a divisive issue with some people believing they represent the growth of a “Big Brother” society. However, many communities have welcomed them with open arms, hoping they will deter criminals and vandals.

Are the cameras a waste of money and an infringement of civil liberties? Or are they a vital deterrent? Send us your comments.