BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN an effort to combat the growing crime situation [especially gun-related] in St. Kitts and Nevis, the Federation’s Police Force has not only increased its patrols and stop and search operations, but a new device has been added to assist in monitoring criminal activities.
This new device is called Closed-circuit-television (CCTV) and one of them was recently installed in a certain section of the McKnight area which is considered a hot spot.
CCTV is the employment of video cameras to transmit signals to a particular place, or home base, on a limited set of monitors. It is often used in banks and industrial sites, among others, for surveillance purposes.
In an exclusive interview with the Commissioner of Police, Austin Williams, it was disclosed to SKNVibes that over the past two years the force was intent on installing security cameras in “downtown Basseterre and known trouble spot areas in St. Kitts”.
“There is a project sponsored by LIME which should have already been installed, but due to certain complications we were unable to do so. However, I think all the equipment are now on the ground and are ready for installation,” Williams said.
He also informed that, some two weeks ago, a civic-minded gentleman visited his office and offered a CCTV project. “I immediately thought of certain areas that will not be covered by the LIME’s project and took into consideration what the gentleman was offering. We therefore accepted his proposal and he gave us one of the Closed-circuit-television, which we installed as a demonstration to see how well it will work.”
The Commissioner added that based on the results, once favourable, the force would not only have one, but two CCTV projects that he envisages would greatly enhance surveillance in hot spots within the twin-island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis.
