CCTV cameras to finally return to bolster local policing
Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) cameras are expected to arrive in the British Virgin Islands in the coming weeks and will assist the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) in policing the territory.
This was revealed by Commissioner of Police Michael Matthews during a recent airing of the Honestly Speaking radio programme.
He said the RVIPF is currently blind to some of the offences being committed in the territory and the strategic placement of CCTV cameras in various areas will be part of that solution.
“I came back on duty on January 2 and the first thing I did was to send a message to the project manager to say, ‘where are we?’. I want to know that in 2020 we are going to see cameras going on poles, and I was given a lot of reassurances that in the coming weeks we are going to start to see these arrive in the territory and start to be fitted,” Commissioner Matthews stated.
He added: “I’m desperately pushing hard still, and I know the Premier (Andrew Fahie) himself personally is very concerned about the time it is taking to fully restore CCTV to the territory.”
Delays due to CDB process
Explaining why the process reinstating the CCTV cameras took longer than expected after they were destroyed during the September 2017 hurricanes, Matthews said: “It certainly is in the budget and it has been budgeted for, but there have been delays around the funding mechanism because this comes under the Caribbean Development Loan Scheme, so it is a very expensive thing to install across the territory.”
Portable cameras a prospect also
Commissioner Matthews further stated that the RVIPF is also exploring other additional tools to enforce the traffic laws, which will coexist with the physical presence of police officers.
“The other variation of it is that there are cameras available now that can actually photograph a scooter and a rider, and give on the photograph the location and speed it was doing at the time. So we are also looking at that technology to be setup, and that can be set up and taken down, we can use that around the territory.”
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Good thing?
Please put one on the pole outside of Penn Bar in Fat Hogs Bay this have become a drug haven. Young men are openly selling and using drugs there as if it is no longer illegal. The expat leasing the space needs to be deported. Totally unacceptable a lack of love for this country.
Yes the saintly locals never do anything wrong. The Belongers are supplying the guy with the drugs. Get off your high horse and blow it out your rear end.
None for the segregated all european communities, with a statistical history of greater drug use than us? Why are they still living with ultimate freedoms while we are paying the ultimate price of survaillance, charges and lenghty incarcerations? Are we not suppose to be subjected to the same laws if we live on the same rock?
Oh boy, look two thousand thumbs down on this one truth.
And you are so correct. A camera on that pole will catch everything that is going on, cameras don’t lie. Those cameras should be put in every village and all around Road Town.
Mr Penn, your name just got dropped. You know what you are allowing is not cool.
Put one in front of the police station in CGB. Maybe they will see stuff going on if they can watch it on TV in the air conditioning.
The rest of the world have done this since the 1970s. Why is everything so slow?
Please do this A.S.A.P.This is the 21st Century and it works to hold down and solve crime. Cheaper than pensions and can’t be bribed.
Dont know how taking pictures of motor cycle and rider would hold up in court given our laws on identification.
How will the cameras work at night.
Commish think this one thru. It also means the police will have to always get a frontal picture.
How will the police identify the motor cycle