First cameras in national CCTV plan to cover hotspots
(CNS): Almost 400 cameras will eventually be watching the streets of Cayman when government’s full CCTV project rolls out across the islands. In the first phase of the nationwide surveillance plan the contract to install the initial cameras and the surveillance equipment, worth over $2 million, was won by The Security Centre Limited. The project will be overseen by the National CCTV Committee, chaired by Deputy Chief Officer Eric Bush from the Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs, and the electronic monitoring will take place at the 911 centre and police stations. Bush explained in a statement that it will take time for all of the CCTV system to be placed across the country but in this first phase cameras are to be placed in what are considered high priority locations.
The nationwide CCTV project has been welcomed by the police as a significant tool in the fight against crime. Bush said it would provide high quality evidence to be used by law enforcement agencies to prosecute offenders, assist in the reduction, prevention and detection, as well as the fear of crime and promote community safety. In addition to protecting property by promoting a feeling of safety, it is hoped that it will stimulate economic growth as it will encourage the use of public facilities. The cameras are also expected to play a role in monitoring road traffic and improve safety.
The system will be able to hold data at Computer Services for up to 60 days from the cameras and the oversight committee will be made up of representatives from the police, the legal department, emergency communication electronic monitoring and one member of the private sector.
Bush stated that eight bids were submitted in response to the request for proposal from local companies but only businesses that have been licensed in the Cayman Islands by the RCIPS as security companies can sell security products.
It is understood from others involved in the bidding process that it was subject to delays and the Auditor General’s Office has confirmed that it is examining the bidding process and will be revealing more details in a public release from the office shortly.
Category: Local News
New Orleans is not alone. In the UK research has indicated that one of the world’s largest networks of CCTV’s has had a negative impact on crime prevention. Why? Because CCTV has proved to be next to useless in detecting crime other than car crime and the cost of monitoring and reviewing CCTV has diverted police resources from more useful crime prevention activities.
Meanwhile in New Orleans: Mayor Mitch Landrieu wants to dump city’s crime cameras (http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2010/10/new_orleans_crime_camera_progr.html)
"In seven years, New Orleans’ crime camera program has yielded six indictments: three for crimes caught on video and three for bribes and kickbacks a vendor is accused of paying a former city official to sell the cameras to City Hall."
We all know what went down here and they can do all the audits in the world Absolutely nothing will be done and the old boys network will maintain status quo. The Cayman public will pay the bills for these extravagant toys & fancy gadgets for the powerful who drive around in their expensive trucks and Suv’s and their enhance lifestyles. When the poor is watched the rich definitely feel more comfortable and safe, after all it is them who are committing all the crime.
We have 400 police ‘officers’ and crime is rife, who thinks that 400 cameras will make any difference?
As for the ‘leaders’ extravagant lifestyles, I happen to know that Julia Oconnorly-Oconnoly-Oconner has made a concerted effort to save the public money on her expensive SUV and Body guard this month by parking the truck and taking the Bodyguard (Paul) on safari to Kenya. Bless her and her national pride!
I don’t understand the comments here. It was all praise when Ezzard got it but now everyone is complaining saying that it is no use but everyone was making comments before saying that we needed them.
A deal is a deal you cant argue with the BIG Deal The old patronage system is alive and well .The people will pay the bills for the luxuries acquire by Gov"t officials and their quest for power and to maintain their reign over government and wealth. corruption as usual.
Why is it that each successive government follows these commissioners blindly in to the abyss. The previous government with the helicopter, this one with CCTV. Millions of dollars used to purchase, millions more to maintain and operate, all for systems that are not capable of performing in the manner envisaged.
The commissioners always claim they need more tools, however, the crime situation never seems to improve. With the continuous failure of the commissioners’ policies I can’t help but wonder why it is that our government continues to put so much faith in them and continue to throw good money behind their hair brained ideas for toys that they don’t yet have and use as excuses for their failures.
Are our government members so gullible, or is it that they could care less. They get to say they are not responsible and did all they could by providing money.
How about demanding policy changes to go along with funding. Refusing to fund expensive toys that have very limited use or value for money.
Government: PLEASE WAKE UP
Few more millions gone down in drain
OOPS!!! Another big blunder the officers with Internal/External Affairs; dont we know that security cctv systems have failed so many times at so many occasions? ATMS, drive-thrus, banks? then why we spent so much millions to award them cctv-contract?
Another transparent process where conflicts of interest never apply. The fleecing of Government continues unabated even in these hard economic times. The same old players playing the same old games too many of the government’s business deals are being decided and awarded out in secret meetings and secret places. The only thing transparent is everybody knows what the outcome will be That is very clear to see.
20:45. great research in on this article with real fact. The largest question is WHY do we want to invest hard money into such a project if it has proved fruitless over-all? Value you for money and this is not I say. I am sure the head of the Chamber who supported this from the start will say otherwise, but that is a conflict of duties to say the least. There is no data, stats, or otherwise to support this as a need crime prevention/solving project. It will cost way too much money with no real results. Take for instance, a lot of the violent crimes of these times have been captured on film and they have, when looking at percentage wise, not helped with the crime problem. Why in the world would the country waste money on something like this when England has proven it a failure, and locally it has been proven nothing more then a gamble at helping crime curbing/solving. Not a win win deal. Baines had stated that this was a needed tool, but since the the recent crimes he has not said a peep and has sent Jones as the RCIP front man to talk to the public on thier foul-ups. Is it after all of his statements (Baines) that have been proven false that he lacks a sack to face the community and sends one of his charge to face the heat?
Fri, 10/29/2010 – 13:00 thank you.
But its not so much research, although I did quickly check an online article to check my facts and figures as my memory is far from accurate!
You see, during the period in question, I was a UK tax payer paying 52% of my salary to the government in income tax national insurance contributions (I was on the very bottom of the 40% scale), I didn’t particularly enjoy knowing I was captured on camera more than 300 times a day by (very expensive) cameras paid for with tax payers money, but kind of got some relief in thinking that at least it would keep crime down.
It did initially drive crime out into the communities, until bit by bit it became more and more obvious that not many folk were being convicted (although plenty were caught on camera), and many of those that were prosecuted were getting away with it because the camera evidence wasn’t holding up in court. The Met Report just confirmed what everyone was thinking.
So I couldn’t help but scratch my head at the timing of this project, and wonder whether any proper research had been done before committing to it.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind a few cameras here and there in hot spots and the like, but this is kinda "Big Brother"ish like the UK, and I been there and done that already!
I absolutely concur with the thoughts inyour post with the exception of your apparent dislike of Mr Baines and his work. I happen to think in all fairness, considering what he took on, he’s not doing a bad job so far, and we’re slowly starting to see the results which simply cannot be instantaneous. And it can’t be easy in the face of all the old traditions and bureaucracy that exists in the police force here, who seem quite opposed to change! But don’t get me wrong, I can see that there’s still plenty plenty needs to be done still.
4/ Why is Government hiring Security guards when there are so many unemployed Caymanians?
Cuz u can’t hire the fox to guard the hen house!
Couple of questions.
1/ Who decides where the cameras go?
2/ Who monitors the cameras?
3/ How quickly can police attend a "hot spot"?
4/ Why is Government hiring Security guards when there are so many unemployed Caymanians?
5/ How much is the Government paying per hour per Security guard.
Oh sorry, I forgot. The instalation of these Camaras is one thing, but the maintainence of them will not be cheap. I wonder who is going to be taking care of that and at what cost?
"The system will be able to hold data at Computer Services for up to 60 days"
They funny.
All well and good, but lets look a little closer. Some say that CCTV ‘displaces’ crime, or in other words, they go elsewhere where there are no cameras and continue to thieve. So, if all the cameras go up in town, most of the crime is driven out of town and into the communities.
There is also the question of government permitted use/abuse and what elsewhere, would be considered illegal access to CCTV recordings. The UK reportedly has more cameras per person than any other country in the world. But they also have legal restrictions on the use of CCTV recordings and all operators must register with the ICO (Information Commissioners Office). Furthermore, there is a requirement to promptly delete archived recordings. But for all the money spent and all the cameras a 2009 Met Police Report has confirmed that less than 1 crime a year is solved for every 1000 CCTV cameras in London (where you will be filmed an average of 300 times by various cameras each day as you go about your business). This has come as a huge blow when the UK police had spent £500 million over a ten year period installing 4 million cameras nationwide, with 1 million in London alone, but about half of the footage produced is unsuitable to convict criminals in court so now the British public are outraged and the police are struggling to address the problem. And everyone else (except us in Cayman) is holding onto their money and waiting to see what the world’s most watched country is going to do next. Perhaps we could have waited a little longer too?
And who will be monitoring the 400 cameras?
Nepotism and cronies along with the secret handshake and the deal is done. Cayman is on a fast track to some serious problems. The new complaint is Why do i always feel like somebody is watching me i cant get no privacy. What else now boats helicopters cameras what will be the excuse now A predator drone we got such a robust law enforcement system and no one to enforce the law properly or effectively.
Nepoptism and cronies … you got that right. I hope one of those cameras can point to how this bid was won and shed some light on this. Please Mr. Auditor General don’t drag this out – get the facts and let the public know ASAP. What is the point of having a central tenders process if what they recommend is ignored and Government has the final say? If I was a member of the CTC I would be pissed off. Repeat after me: DICTATOR.
Not to worry if the AG drags his feet on this one, I hear the Compass has filed a freedom of information request to ascertain who the Central Tenders Committee recommended for the job. Can’t wait for those facts to come to light. Things must be pretty bad if the Compass is doing investigative reporting! New Day – New Dawn.
We do not need cameras monitoring hot spots. All they will do is cause the more intelligent criminals to move to the suburbs.
And who is going to monitor all the cameras? Certainly, any alarm service would respond much quicker, and with much more precise information, than any person watching shadows on a bank of cameras. Especially if the person is half asleep.
What Cayman needs to do is get its police out of their cars, and make them walk beats. That is the best way to stop crime on this small Island. An additional benefit is the policemen’s health due to exercise.
It seems that the police would rather sneak around in their cars and set up speed traps in select locations, usually not associated at all with safety.
In the meantime, the real criminals run circles around them, destroying safety at every turn and rendering the whole Cayman Islands hazardous to our health.
Do you see anything wrong with this picture?
CCTV, This is one of the best things to ever happen on this Island.
At 8 per 1000 it makes Cayman one of the most spyed upon countries in the world!
Good, we need to be spied upon. Too much All the world most wanted here. Not on "America most wanted" then dont worry.