Cooktown Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) Network

In November 2020, in order to enhance public safety and security and to help police detect, prevent, identify and prosecute criminal activity, Cook Shire Council in partnership with the Queensland Police Service (QPS), installed a total of seven closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras (including two licence plate recognition cameras) across three key areas identified by the Cooktown Police.

Funded through the Australian Government’s Safer Communities Funding, the project facilitates Council’s long-term strategic themes of “incorporating Crime Prevention through environmental design principles” (2011-21 Community Plan) and “maintaining a proactive response to public health and safety matters” (2017-22 Corporate Plan and subsequent operational plans).

Camera locations

Queensland Police Services in Cooktown identified the following three locations for the cameras:

• The Roundabout at Charlotte Street/Harrigan Street/Boundary Street
  • 3 x dome camera
• The intersection of Charlotte Street and Racecourse Road
• • 1 x dome camera
  • 1 x licence plate recognition camera
• The intersection of Hope Street and Racecourse Road
• 1 x dome camera
• 1 x licence plate recognition camera

Privacy protections

The CCTV system operates under strict guidelines and the tightest privacy controls have been put in place to balance crime prevention needs and the right to individual privacy, which limits the scope of the safety camera program to crimes against the person, serious crimes and crowd management.

In accordance with state and federal Information Privacy Principles and the Queensland Public Records Act 2002, the recorded images will only be used and/or disclosed for law enforcement or other lawful purposes.

Camera recordings are retained by Council in accordance with legislated requirements and may be accessed by QPS to help police with their investigations and legal proceedings as required. All recorded images that are not part of any ongoing police investigation or court proceeding, or not required for any other lawful reason, will be retained and disposed of in accordance with the Public Records Act 2002.

CCTV camera areas are clearly sign-posted to prevent crime, increase the perception of public safety and to make people aware for privacy reasons.

Download a copy of Council's CCTV Policy here. 

For emergencies call 000

For police attendance call Cooktown Police on (07) 4069 5688

General queries should be directed to the Cook Shire Council between 8:45am – 4:45pm Monday to Friday on (07) 4082 0500

QPS has a wide range of resources to assist the community in preventing crime, including information on personal safety, vehicle security and home security.