Security Plan | Drones to be implemented to fight crime
Google image of a drone.
By Davion Smith, BVI News Journalist
A new security plan is being implemented in the British Virgin Islands and part of that plan includes police drone surveillance.
Governor Augustus Jaspert said the drones are being purchased with a portion of the £1.2 million the United Kingdom donated to the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) in December.
The Governor said Police Commissioner Michael Matthews plans to use the drones to support RVIPF operations.
“He told me they hope within a few months to have drone surveillance available,” Governor Jaspert said at a media conference at Government House in Road Town Tuesday afternoon.
The Security Plan
Meanwhile, the governor said local law enforcement agencies met last week and developed a security plan that focuses on four main priority areas.
Their plan involves aggressively securing local borders against illicit entry of guns, people and narcotics, as well as visibly improving police presence and connectivity between all local law enforcement agencies.
The other two areas of the plan are to tactically reduce key criminal ties, and develop what the governor described as a ‘robust crime-prevention and reduction plan’ between law enforcement agencies.
“The plan is already in progress. With assistance from the United Kingdom, we have already increased the number of RVIPF firearms officers and introduced armed response vehicles. Extra homicide detectives are already in the territory and are already on cases,” Governor Jaspert said.
Government giving up to $5 million
Other initiatives of the Security Plan are to repair police infrastructure and resources, as well as expanding Customs and police marine capability, getting the roads lit across the territory, increasing CCTV surveillance, and equipping law enforcers with more taser guns and handheld radios.
Premier Dr D Orlando Smith said the government will be pumping up to $5 million from the Consolidated Fund into the Security Plan.
The plan is being implemented in response to the recent series of successive gun crimes on the island of Tortola.
Premier Dr D Orlando Smith (left) and Governor Augustus Jaspert outside Government House on Tuesday.
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Invading whose privacy? Have we become a police state? GTFOH with this BS…
Which would you rather invade your privacy, a Police drone or a deranged gunman who doesn’t give a F about taking your life?
I’d prefer the use of my own weapon thank you very much. Are they going to pilot a drone to my location during the attempt on my life by said gunman to take him out? Kindly elaborate if you will on how you seeing the use of a drone being used during an attempt on my life? GTFOH!
This is so needed .five yrs late but it’s hope to see it come to reality.hope they buy about a dozen and those than can be use at nights with good night vision.good news
The small crime free country of Monco has cctv cameras that cover every public area. It would not be too difficult to achieve the same in the populated ateas of Tortola. CCTV cameras deter crime and catch criminals.
Here is one for you encourage home owners, business etc to install wifi camera accessible from anywhere in the world very inexpensive less than a 100.00 these camera have a wide ranging capabilities.
I’ve always said that encourage homeowner to install these systems. they can reduce the import duty to encourage people to get them for their property…footage can also be used by police to apprehend offenders. I think in general if people know they are there they would be less likely to offend!
i hope this is a well though of plan and the back end processes are in place…maintenance, insurance, spare parts, capable operators(training), flight schedule, and applicable laws to persecute when video evidence is obtained…I’m just saying!- I hope this isn’t a half baked idea!
Oh while you at it introduce electronic traffic ticketing and a points based system for offenders, this can even stretch to insurance companies as offenders would be liable for higher premiums based on their points…good way to purge out traffic offenders.. DMV get involved!!!
You will need proper working internet for that.
IP CAMS don’t need Internet to be put to use. They just need to be on the same Wi-Fi and they will work.
Here is one for you enforce the minor laws,some thing as simple as drivers driving over the side walks, stopping in the middle of the street to have a conversation.
We could also afford two fast ribs carrying heavily armed police and or customs to patrol the channels at night. Drones could watch for boats coming from the arms and drug dumps next door.
Before anything, RVIPF should be locking up all those criminals in suits who stole donations and sold them on. We all know who’s involved, what’s the hold up?
While I agree with the crime strategy. I believe we need to het into the primary schools and stay close to the yoinh ones. I must say we also need a reform school to address deviant behavior. Station police officers 24/7 in all hot spot areas; an aggressive traffic enforcement team, random roll and stop exercises, increase home searches on suspected criminals homes (multi agency approach) address antiquated 1991 laws. Fix the motor cycle legislation. Buy at least three mobile police stations. They should be placed in selected areas to reduce crime. Create a multi agency task force. It is time for action before we lose more of our young men. We can do all things through Christ. Therefore we need to pray as well for this Territory
Tell me please someone.
How will these drones see anything at night to be able to alert police of crime????
this is such a bad idea, those drones will be flying around in the DAY!
If yall are looking for cannabis fine……
This wont do anything to fight CRIME but uncover a few cannabis grows here and there!
Think about it people. think about it.
Would you feel safe when you are out in the yard, no shit no pants and a drone is hovering around?
making you feel not even able to go outside.
And next thing will happen if police use drones often enough in the DAY.
is that people will be flying private drones spying on people and playing like they are the police.
These days when I see I drone I know its not the police and they need to GTFO from spying in private yards.
it has happened before and the only thing that stopped me from dropping that shhh out of the sky is that It could fall on someone innocent.
and I wont feel comfy in outside in my pajamas with
Drones can have infra red cameras that can see at night.
So them Drones going to catch them scooters?
Created is an undercurrent of lawlessness, allowing scooter riders to not have helmets and evade the regulations (licence, insurance, driving licence) the riders grow up to feel they are above the law and ultimately become lawless…
Yes they do but where policies of zero tolerance for any crime have been applied, serious crime rates have fallen dramatically. Most famously in New York
Yep, once them got the big chain, scooter and pistol them think they set.
When officers can own a village in twos and patrol regular smh
Waste of money again.
U guys need a helicopter
Get a helicopter