Letter from the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner to the Security Event 2023 organiser, 7 March 2023 (accessible)
Published 13 March 2023
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Conference organiser
By email
7 March 2023
Dear conference organiser,
The Security Event - 25-27 April, NEC Birmingham
Thank you for your invitation to take part in the above event.
I see from the published agenda that you aim to ‘build tomorrow’s security professionals’ and, in particular, offer workshops for apprentices and the ‘next generation’ of security professionals.
In light of the importance of ensuring the physical and moral integrity of our public space surveillance systems to which I have referred in my annual report to Parliament, Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner: report 2021 to 2022 and subsequently Parliamentlive.tv - Human Rights (Joint Committee), addressing these fundamental considerations will be critical in building tomorrow’s security professionals. I am keen therefore to understand how you address them.
In particular, given the decisions by some local authorities and the UK government to remove some surveillance camera systems on the basis of their risk to security and their association with human rights abuses in other jurisdictions: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament.
I wondered to what extent these critical issues for the next generation of security professionals are addressed, in both your training materials and the wider policies of your organisation. It has not gone unnoticed that some of the companies at the centre of these matters are shown as exhibitors at your event.
I would be very grateful if you could share the relevant documents or direct me to the appropriate standards to which your organisation aspires in this regard.
Yours faithfully
Professor Fraser Sampson
Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner
Office of the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner
2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF