Cops call for crime cameras

‘THE city desperately needs CCTV cameras in the fight against crime.’

These were the sentiments expressed by Empangeni Station Commander, Brigadier Jeros Thango at a meeting held in Empangeni last week in which a a number of crime fighting entities met to discuss the way forward in an attempt to establish ‘eyes’ around the region.

Forming part of the meeting were SAPS, CPFs, private security companies and business owners, who were briefed on CCTV surveillance cameras and what purpose they could serve in combating crime in Zululand.

CCTV footage would enable SAPS in the region to better do their jobs in identifying suspects and in combating general crime.

Since CCTV surveillance cameras were first mooted for the city, technology has come a long way, and a presentation at the meeting confirmed this, with number plate recognition systems now being looked at as the future of combating crime.

The roll-out of CCTV cameras has been raised at council meetings on numerous occasions and the city even went to the extent of implementing camera systems some six years ago.

These cameras have since become outdated and the fact that fibre connections have recently been installed in the region means new, more advanced camera systems will need to be looked at.

The City told the ZO they would respond in due course as to their plans for CCTV camera systems.

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Casi

Members also discussed the introduction of a new application known as Casi (Calling All Support Immediately) at the meeting.

Casi is an emergency response application that allows subscribers to request a response vehicle from smartphones.

It would see all the local security companies partner in helping attend to emergencies.

‘It would alert all the security companies in the area and the nearest one to the scene would essentially respond.

‘It would be linked to a person’s phone and not their address therefore it would help in every situation,’ said a member.

The locally developed application has already achieved good results in Gauteng.

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