One of the drones provided by Swift Tactical Systems. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune Staff
By SYANN THOMPSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
sthompson@tribunemedia.net
MINISTER of National Security Marvin Dames signed a $17m contract with California-based Swift Systems yesterday for a multi-agency drone programme he said should lead to “record level” crime reduction.
Flanked by heads of law enforcement agencies at a press conference at the Royal Bahamas Defence Force Coral Harbour base, Mr Dames said as a result of the initiative, “The Bahamas can expect to see a record level reduction in crimes, in migrant smuggling, in drug smuggling, in firearm smuggling.”
He added: “This contract is for about $17m and it’s for 55 short and medium range drones - we did that purposely because what that will allow for us to do, it will allow for us to accommodate all the law enforcement agencies. That is the Royal Bahamas Police Force, the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, Bahamas Department of Corrections. We also have the immigration, customs and as well as the other government ministries. It is expected that these drones will be used throughout the length and breadth of this country.”
All law enforcement agencies will have use of the drones for various activities. From following suspects of a robbery, finding the location of illegal immigrants, having an aerial view of the prison or pinpointing a drug boat, Mr Dames is confident that the drones will change the landscape of law enforcement in the country.
“No matter how much money you spend, no matter how much training you do, no matter how much equipment you purchase, if these agencies are not talking to each other on a daily basis we are not going to get anywhere,” he said. “So we have made it our mission and our commitment to ensure that this technology will be multi-agency and shared between all of the agencies. And I am going to take it a step further, not only the agencies but there are other ministries in government that can benefit from this.”
The Bahamas Unmanned Aerial System Solution contract will include training of law enforcement officers. According to Mr Dames, the programme is expected to be used on Family Islands as well.
He said that the drones in addition to the ShotSpotter gun detection technology, will have a combined effect in tackling crime.
“We did talk about the establishment of a drone academy and that is coming as well as we move forward and we talked about the real-time crime centre and the Royal Bahamas Police Force is in the process of completing its real time centre as well as the defence force. It will have a large video screen and it can view any event anywhere in this country and that’s the objective there. And we intend to integrate all of this technology and so for example, we spoke about ShotSpotter, when ShotSpotter is triggered, the drones will be wired where it can respond to the gunshot,” he said.
The Mount Moriah MP also said law enforcement is continuing to beef up its efforts including adding 130 new recruits to the Royal Bahamas Police Force. Several law enforcement contracts are expected to be signed in early 2020; they will include the installation of 500 new CCTV cameras and on January 3, body cameras for police officers.
Comments
The_Oracle 4 years, 11 months ago
The public better start wearing helmets.
sweptaway 4 years, 11 months ago
Perfect !
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 11 months ago
Does this mean our corrupt Minnis-led FNM government turned down Red China's offer to sell us three (3) long distance drones, each equipped with the very latest state-of-the-art missle guidance technology capable of detecting, tracking and obliterating targets within a 150 mile radius?
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 11 months ago
Same thing I thought. We're clearly excellent at buying stuff but not so good at maintenance.
sweptaway 4 years, 11 months ago
Do these guys lay awake at night and dream up this bunch of nonsense !7 million ?
xtreme2x 4 years, 11 months ago
WHAT HAPPEN TO THE OTHER MULTI MILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT WITH SHOTSPOTTER
:YOUTUBE.COM ShotSpotter Gunshot Detection System.wmv The Minneapolis Police Department Shotspotter system was recently featured on AOL News in their feature "Digital Justice". The Shotspotter system is a gunfir...
HOW IS THAT WORKING MR DAMES?
NOW ANOTHER MULTIMILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT FOR DRONES. HOW IS THAT GOING TO FIGHT/SOLVE CRIME?
MONEY BETTER SPENT IF IT WAS INVESTED ON ALL LAW OFFICERS, INCLUDED YOU AND COMMISSIONER ON DOWN THE LINE ON TRAINING IN: PEOPLE MANAGEMENT(DEALING WITH PUBLIC IN PROFESSIONAL MANNER),IN CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF GOVERNMENT PROPERTIES.(CARS,BIKE,OFFICE FURNITURE'S AND HAVING A SANITIZED/ CLEAN RESTROOM IN ALL POLICE STATIONS.
MOST IMPORTANTLY CHANGE MIND SET OF ALL SENIOR AND JUNIOR OFFICERS IN DEALING WITH PUBLIC IN MORE FRIENDLY AND PROFESSIONAL WAY. SHOW THE PUBLIC (PEOPLE) THAT YOU ARE GENUINELY CARE AND ARE FRIENDLY.
BY NEW MIND SET, WILL NOT DECREASE POWER/ RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE OFFICERS. WE ALL KNOW THEY ARE THE KEEPER OF LAW AND ORDER IN THE LAND.
DO YOU THINK THIS TRAINING WILL COST 17M? EVEN IF IT DOES AM SURE WE WILL SEE SOME POSITIVE RESULTS IN THE ATTITUDE OF PUBLIC ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG PEOPLE...."FOOD FOR THOUGHT"
joeblow 4 years, 11 months ago
... sorry but they can't get backroom deals doing what you suggested!
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 11 months ago
The problem isn't technology. It's whether THIS technology will fit this problem. Shotspotter for example is sketchy, the technology was designed for remote locations, these guys deployed it in the inner city. I think the word is out that Minnis and Kwasi are in charge of technology
sealice 4 years, 11 months ago
Bahamas Gubmint them just started a new trap shooting club !!!
VDSheep 4 years, 11 months ago
The government drone nostrums it is long overdue – for too long we’ve seen illegals enter into our boarders ‘ whereas our autistic politicians too often anxiously depending on foreign entities to monitor our borders… now ‘ seemingly realizing the need to use local surveillance to manage the borders – a drones technology architecture platform ought to be ‘ not only bought to use – but taught in our school system ‘ the days of hearsay are gone – we need to get tech savvy across the board ‘ and keep control of our homeland going forward ‘ drones are a good start!
bahamianson 4 years, 11 months ago
"The Bahamas will expect to see a record level reduction in crime", really. Are you a fortune teller? What you should say is, " it is anticipated that the level of crime will be reduced with the new technology that we are going to implement". Choose you words wisely.
ohdrap4 4 years, 11 months ago
Yes he is a fortune teller. There are many employed by the media. As with all fortune tellers, his batting average is not very good.
I am also a fortune teller. But a good one.
In 2020:
The_Oracle 4 years, 11 months ago
Also hope the drones are waterproof........
Sickened 4 years, 11 months ago
Is it illegal to shoot down a drone that's buzzing around your home/boat and hasn't identified itself as belonging to the police?
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 11 months ago
The drone shown in The Trib's photo cannot possibly be anything like the 55 drones government has purportedly purchased for a total contract price of $17 million. The drone shown and the command control system to operate it costs less than $8,000 per drone. $8,000 x 55 drones = $440,000, less than half a million dollars and nowhere near $17 million. Hello Houston, we have a problem!
Bonefishpete 4 years, 11 months ago
Don't Mash My Drones
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 11 months ago
Did Marvin Dames confirm whether the purchased drones can be equipped with pontoons to assist with search and rescue operations at sea? Also, suggest someone in government notify Delta, Jet Blue, American, Air Canada and the other major passenger carrying foreign airlines that the size of some of the mosquitos soon to be flying about in the Bahamas will have grown significantly. These airlines may need additional insurance to cover large mosquito impact mishaps.
mandela 4 years, 11 months ago
17,000,000.00 divide by 55 equals around 309,000.00 thousand dollars per drone, WOW and in the space of one year, they would have crashed or destroyed 75% of them, wasted money, I really hope they train the pilots or persons operating these very expensive drones properly because we all know that these persons operating the drones didn't pay for them and don't care if they crash or destroy them. Also what is taking the body cameras so long to come on stream? Oh, i can't wait to see the looks on our D average RBPF officers face when they know that their actions will be recorded and they can no longer get away with abusing their powers with no percussion on them.
bogart 4 years, 11 months ago
Question is whether the Minister Security had a conversation with the Minister Aviation on the use of drones along with illegally operated passangers transportation Hackers aircraft? Seems at this point for decades of operations, the culprits can now be outrun at the airport and apprehended and placed in well known sucessfully operated monitored location Ankle Bracelets.
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