Derek Lobban

As senior CCTV operator for City of Edinburgh Council, Derek leads one of five teams of four and works in the city's Central Monitoring Facility, where a bank of 66 screens relays pictures from 200 cameras across Edinburgh.

"The job involves monitoring public space CCTV cameras watching for crime and anti-social behaviour," Derek explains. "We also put together evidence packages when required for partner agencies and on occasion we act as professional witnesses at court.

"The job requires a very calm head and great observation skills. Often quite serious incidents are viewed and must be relayed to the Police in a clear concise manner. You must be alert as the job can often have very quiet periods but you must stay focused as you are never sure when an incident may occur."

Derek attended Morgan Academy in Dundee and took an HNC in Retail Management at Dundee College before working as a parking attendant and supervisor for APCOA Parking UK, which manages more than 860,000 parking spaces across 15 countries.

He now receives internal training with written and practical tests and six and 12 month assessments in areas such as camera work, local knowledge and the law in relation to legislation such as data protection.

"I feel the job has given me a good insight into the criminal justice system and the unique challenges faced by agencies combating crime and anti-social behaviour," Derek says.