The mean streets of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, may soon be policed by its own citizens, if an AU$8m scheme inviting cameraphone evidence of crimes gets the go-ahead from the government.  Called Project VIEW (Video Image Evidence on the Web), it would consist of a website to which video and images of criminal activity could be submitted for consideration by the NSW police and, potentially, feature among the evidence entered in an eventual prosecution.

“The opportunity is there with the mobile phone, for example, to take a picture, take some video of something and then transfer that to police with the push of a button … What we know is that information of this nature, over the net for example, has been used in court.  YouTube footage has been used in court where people have taken footage of themselves painting graffiti on trains for example. That’s been used to support a conviction” David Campbell, Police Minister, NSW

Rather than offsetting police work, the scheme is intended to supplement officers in gathering evidence as part of a case as a whole.  Submitted footage would not necessarily lead to an arrest or conviction, but would be considered to see whether charges were appropriate.

However the plan has come under criticism for potentially putting members of the public at risk, an accusation Campbell denies:

“Police are working very hard on it. It’s some months away … (they) need to work through it, design it and test it and police will be going through that process in the future” David Campbell, Police Minister, NSW

Those submitting evidence in this way could possibly do so anonymously.

[via picturephoning]