The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Royal Bahamas Police Force officially opened its Real Time Crime Centre yesterday in a move officials say will allow for better policing and help strengthen the agency’s fight against crime.

Giving official remarks at yesterday’s launch, Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis said the centre includes a wide range of current and evolving technologies that will be utilised by officers to help detect and prevent crime.

It will serve as the RBPF’s centralised technological base for data gathering and close monitoring of the agency’s ShotSpotter, closed circuit television (CCTV) and Marco’s Alert digital billboard systems.

Officers attached to the centre will also be able to gather data from the RBPF’s body worn and dash cameras and drone technology to ensure better transparency in the force.

Dr Minnis said: “The mission of the Real Time Crime Centre (RTCC) is to provide the police with the ability to capitalise on its wide and expanding range of technologies for efficient and effective policing.

“…The centre will coordinate assets and direct the attention of resources to high-crime areas, active crimes in progress, large-scale public events that may require law enforcement presence or response, and high profile or highly repeat offenders in the community.

“The Real Time Crime Centre will maximise the likelihood that members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force can respond to crimes occurring in real time and do so effectively. The centre will serve as a launch pad for newly acquired remote controlled drone technology.”

Dr Minnis also said the initiative falls in line with his administration’s efforts to ensure that officers are equipped with the tools needed to meet the policing challenges of a 21st century environment.

His comments were echoed by National Security Minister Marvin Dames yesterday, who said the government remains committed to supporting the police in their crime fighting efforts.

“I can assure you that we have already begun the process of further moving our law enforcement agencies to a place unheard of and unforeseen because it’s our government’s commitment and we recognise that if you do not invest in your law enforcement agencies, you cannot talk about bringing tourists to this country.

“You can’t talk about financial investments and growth and development. It first starts with safety and security and giving people a feeling of comfort that they can travel without any concerns of being robbed or tapped and so our (crime) numbers continue to show some very positive signs.

“We are not there yet. We will be the first to tell you that we recognise that but we know exactly where it is that we’re going and we have rolled out a plan that clearly points the way and we will continue to improve on that and we recognise that.”

Police Commissioner Paul Rolle estimated the infrastructural costs for completion of the RBPF crime centre to be around $20 million.

With the new technological crime tools, the police chief said officers at the centre were able to help solve two murders so far and deal with several police complaints.

He told reporters: “We had two murders that we used this for (as a result) of the cameras that officers were wearing and also, we had a few matters that we dealt with from the complainant and discipline side and then there’s one I’m reviewing right now.”