The City of Cape Town boasts it has had a 35% year-on-year increase in crime detection.
The municipality said in a release that its 1 200-strong, 25-year-old CCTV system is the driver of these results.
“In recent years we’ve managed to grow the City’s CCTV footprint,” said Mayco member for safety and security JP Smith, “reduced the percentage of camera outages and increased the number of incidents detected. And while the instinct is to view them as tools in the fight against crime the camera network is so much more. It triggers emergency responses where victims aren’t able to call for help themselves, identifies threats before incidents occur and deter incidents of crime or other anti-social behaviour.”
He said the Metro Police Strategic Surveillance Unit (SSU), a force multiplier, allows for both proactive and reactive policing.
Smith said that in the last financial year, the system detected 59 526 incidents. Of these, 27 059 were criminal incidents. However, only 458 of the incidents detected resulted in arrests.
The arrests included 75 for driving under the influence, 27 smash and grabs or theft out of motor vehicles, 23 cable thefts and 154 for possession or dealing in drugs.
Smith said the City is in the process of installing more camera infrastructure to the value of nearly R14,4 million in eight suburbs, several of which are known gang hotspots.
Also read: Camera installed in gang warfare hotspot in Beacon Valley
“We’ve also started using other means of aerial monitoring, such as drones, and sharing footage for public consumption to show how the tech that the City is investing in is being used. In one of our most viewed clips earlier this year a drone was able to follow a suspect who was hiding along the R300 and led officers straight to him and the illegal firearm he had in his possession.”
Vehicle and body cams
Traffic Service have more than 300 vehicle cameras, Smith said, and two years ago the SSU started using body cameras.
According to Smith 1 250 bodycams were in use and 1 000 more were being rolled out. Staff are also trained on how to make optimal use of the cameras, he said.
“Footage obtained via the devices is securely stored using a Digital Evidence Management Solution. Footage can only be accessed by persons with the necessary credentials, and where footage is released for legal or other purposes, it is done in a manner to ensure the chain of custody is preserved.
“Video footage can help identify suspects, convict them and be the impartial observer of interactions or incidents, protecting both the public and our staff members. The incidents captured on video also offer valuable insights into the challenges that come with enforcement, but at the same time they are valuable tools in our public education and awareness efforts.”
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