By RIEL MAJOR

Tribune Staff Reporter

rmajor@tribunemedia.net

THE Ministry of National Security signed a contract with Proficient Business Services yesterday for the expansion of the government’s closed-circuit television system, adding an additional 507 cameras to the initiative.

National Security Minister Marvin Dames told reporters that the execution of this contract would bring the total number of cameras strategically placed in hotspot areas to 750.

However, he said, only 82 percent of the existing cameras in the system are now operational.

“Today’s contract signing with Proficient Business Services will result in the police now having access to footage to an additional 507 cameras,” Mr Dames said yesterday. “As for the previous 243 cameras, you may recall upon coming to office, 193 of the cameras or almost 80 percent were not working. Added to this, the system was plagued with bandwidth issues, thereby making their use ineffective.

“The bandwidth problems have been rectified and the system received necessary upgrades. “To date, 200 or 82 percent of the existing cameras are now operational, while the other 43 are in the process of receiving the necessary upgrades.”

Mr Dames said CCTV will help law enforcement officials determine critical information form crime scenes.

He said: “When fully installed, of the grand total, 100 of the cameras will be equipped with licence plate recognition capabilities, another 100 with facial recognition capabilities and another 120 with pan tilt zone capabilities which will be able to capture evidential information in real time.

“The intent of today’s undertaking adds to the arsenal of crime-fighting tools, while heightening community confidence that perpetrators of crimes will be caught and dealt with to the full extent of the law. This administration is committed to improving law enforcement in the Bahamas as it is key to sustainable development.”

He added: “The use of CCTV has offered various potential applications for public safety inclusive of preventing crime, detecting offences, improving the response times to emergencies, assisting in the management of places and reducing the public’s fear of crime. “The use of CCTV technology continues to evolve globally both within the western hemisphere and across the pond.”

The minister expressed his confidence that expanded CCTV coverage will aid the crime fight.

Mr Dames said: “Research suggests that strategically placed cameras do have an impact on CCTV’s ability to reduce premeditative or property crime. The footage gathered will assist in a serious of questions known as the 5WH.

“They include who was involved, where did it happen, what happened, when did it happen, why did it happen and how was the offence committed. CCTV will be useful (in) answering four of these questions, who was involved, where did it happen, what happened and how was the offence committed.”

He added: “Policing and crime-fighting initiatives are characteristics of my life and I take them seriously. I am pleased with this initiative of the RBPF as we forge our way forward in creating a safer and better Bahamas.”

Yesterday, the Royal Bahamas Police Force also signed a contract with Motorola to receive a complement of radio systems.