ACP Zhivago Dames speaks during a press briefing at the Real Time Crime Centre, Police Headquarters in relation to CCTV partnerships with the police yesterday. Photo: Dante Carrer
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By EARYEL BOWLEG
Tribune Staff Reporter
ebowleg@tribunemedia.net
THE Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBDF) wants people and businesses with security cameras to join a programme letting police monitor their video feeds to fight crime.
RBPF officials yesterday announced the launch of FUSUS, a technology used in some American cities that is being eyed in other locations worldwide, though critics are concerned about creating surveillance states.
The technology would reportedly integrate various policing tools such as CCTV, ShotSpotter, body-worn cameras, electronic monitoring, and drones into a real-time platform.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Zhivago Dames said officers have spoken to several businesses that have agreed to grant access to their cameras.
He said 24 people have already registered their CCTVs.
“FUSUS integrates CCTV and ShotSpotter to provide a comprehensive approach to crime prevention,” he said. “So if a shot goes off in a particular area, the CCTVs would also receive that signal and will emanate on the screen or be produced on the screen so the officers in the Real Time Crime Centre will be able to see exactly the cameras in that area in addition to the precise location where those shots emanated from.”
“And so that gives the officers in the Real Time Crime Centre, once it’s captured on those cameras, an actual view of possible suspects in that area so that you can be able to speak to those officers or pass that information on to those officers who are patrolling to that particular incident.”
“With this integration, the Royal Bahamas Police Force can effectively analyze and utilize data, enabling us to anticipate and prevent crime activities before they occur, rather than just responding to them after the fact.”
People can connect doorbell cameras to the system. Registration is free, with ACP Dames saying the RBPF would only access cameras with people’s permission.
People can register to participate through the RBPF’s website.
“You put in your name, address, your email address, the amount of cameras that you have on,” ACP Dames said. “If you want us to view cameras inside, we can do that also.”
He said although police are in the early stages of the programme, it has already yielded positive results, referring to an incident in The Grove area where police retrieved footage from a business and their own CCTV.
He said when a similar platform was introduced in Atlanta, officials there registered over 13,000 extra cameras.
He said the programme provided “enhanced crime prevention, improved police response times (and) increased public safety community engagement”.
“This platform offers avenues for community members to contribute to public safety, fostering a collaborative effort in policing.”
Comments
Sickened 11 months, 3 weeks ago
Super value, gas stations and fast food companies should all be mandated to install CCTV cameras and have that fed into the police station. That is a minimal civic duty that they can perform for the The Bahamas.
hrysippus 11 months, 3 weeks ago
HI Slickened, have you done your civic duty and installed cctv at your house to feed to the popo? No? Thought not.
Sickened 11 months, 3 weeks ago
My house does not have a view onto any public roads. But I have shared my security camera videos with police when my neighbors got robbed and the perp passed through my yard. So... relax.
DWW 11 months, 3 weeks ago
may have some good benefits. many times the burglar will take the video recording box with them and then the cameras are of 0 use. A cloud upload has its limitations too when the ISP is notoriously unstable and unable to provide sufficient bandwith to support an upload (yes look at both of you providers)
themessenger 11 months, 3 weeks ago
Make sure you have them, cameras, installed in both bedrooms and bathrooms and make sure they have pan, tilt and zoom features. Perhaps invite the Christian Council to participate so they can have a pervseye view of marital rape and LGBT activity.
Sickened 11 months, 3 weeks ago
Lol! the CC would love that access.
ThisIsOurs 11 months, 3 weeks ago
"So if a shot goes off in a particular area, the CCTVs would also receive that signal and will emanate on the screen or be produced on the screen so the officers in the Real Time Crime Centre will be able to see exactly the cameras in that area in addition to the precise location where those shots emanated from.”
"And so that gives the officers in the Real Time Crime Centre, once it’s captured on those cameras, an actual view of possible suspects in that area so that you can be able to speak to those officers or pass that information on to those officers who are patrolling to that particular incident.”
This is almost word for word what I posted here years ago. In reference to the fact that Shotspotter as they were using it was useless and they needed to pair with CCTV to get real time views of crime. Marvin Dames repeated the idea shortly after.
Let's see the legal protections for homeowners before you get access to their feeds. In our system this has the potential to go horribly wrong. Handing over a tape to the police and giving them access to a live camera in your backyard are two completely different things. People should not trust that their privacy will be protected just because this is for "good"
realfreethinker 11 months, 2 weeks ago
I agree with your sentiments. Ripe for abuse.
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