I was left for dead in street: Cameron

ALBURY councillor Darren Cameron has told how he was bashed in central Albury in 1992 during a failed bid this week to have CCTV cameras installed in the city.

Cr Cameron said he was “beaten and left for dead” near the former Ritz night club before he first became a councillor three years later.

On Monday night he pushed for the installation of cameras in Dean Street between David and Olive streets and two areas in Lavington, but could only muster the support of Cr Ross Jackson.

The council voted 7-2 to put CCTV on hold based on the latest crime data and continue to support initiatives taken by the Albury Liquor Accord such as group barring of serial offenders.

Cr Cameron said he remained mentally scarred from being bashed by three assailants and said “king hits” were more prevalent than one-on-one fights.

“It wasn’t a very nice experience and took me many months to get over it,” he said.

“I was lucky to avoid brain injury.

“The worst cases of these assaults are conducted in an extremely cowardly fashion.

“They knock their victim unconscious and escape without ever being brought to book or recognised.

“CCTV will eliminate some of the worst excesses of violence.”

CCTV was revisited by the council on Monday night for the first time since 2010 when it agreed to support the Albury RSL in obtaining funding for increased security on Monument Hill.

The latest Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research for Albury between 2008 and March this year revealed liquor offences were down 24 per cent a year over five years and non domestic violence related assaults were stable over the sample period.

An average 391 assaults were still occurring a year and included alcohol and non-alcohol related incidents.

Albury Police data supports the trends.

This year council staff met Sydney Institute of Criminology deputy director Garner Clancey with the advice CCTV was useful for apprehending criminals after the event, but not necessarily in crime prevention.

Council staff also met Albury police in July about CCTV with an offer made by police to monitor cameras on a “passive level” if installed.

Cr Henk van de Ven said CCTV had successfully been used in Albury with his business being the target of a bogus pamphlet distribution in the lead-up to last year’s council elections.

The offenders were nabbed on a camera in nearby David Street, but Cr Henk van de Ven raised the issue of cost.

“This community shouldn’t bear the cost of installation and operation of CCTV,” he said.