Councils beat graffiti with digital cameras
Councils beat graffiti with digital cameras
Despite the recent fear by organisations about the use of camera-enabled devices in the work place, such as PDAs and cell phones, some councils in Australia are embracing this technology to help complete their work more easily.
The Meta Group has conducted research which reveals that organisations are missing out on opportunities to establish a simplified visual asset management strategy based on digital photography.
Many local councils have developed bylaw enforcement programs based on their ability to use digital technology to create evidence of infringements relation to pollution, dangerous environments and dishevelled property.
The Bankstown council, for example, uses PDAs and digital cameras to create records of graffiti that needs to be cleaned up around the area.
John Nehme, the information systems support office for Bankstown Council said."The Environmentally Sustainable Development department uses digital technology to take pictures and make notes about graffiti on buildings. This information is then passed into a central database for workers to access. It helps them with their knowledge of exactly where these defacements are so that they can clear them up.
"This use of digital technology certainly makes life easier for them, because they see the extend of the damage. I can see it being used in many other departments in the council some time in the future too."
These benefits fly in the face of recent fears reported by Gartner about enterprises trying to ban the use of camera phones in the work place because they threaten the privacy of employees and increase the potential of important business information being stolen.
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