The Melkbosstrand community can now breathe a sigh of relief and feel a bit safer after a state-of-the-art closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance system was recently installed.
This is the brainchild of the Melkbosstrand Neighbourhood Watch (MNHW) and a volunteer community group called, StreetCamWatch which is committed to creating a safer area and displayed its commitment by starting the project.
Even though the CCTV project was initiated several years ago in Melkbosstrand, it never got off the ground until now.
Rhine Barnes, chair of the MNHW, says their partner community group, StreetCamWatch, precured the relevant authorisation to initiate the camera project and install cameras at various sites around Melkbosstrand.
“Escalating crime was the driving reason for the initiative before and is still relevant today, perhaps even more so.
“Criminals still come into our town without detection and leave after committing crimes. StreetCamWatch focused their attention on installing cameras, funded by the residents of two streets,” Barnes told TygerBurger.
The watch then partnered with StreetCamWatch to revive and expand on the original initiative which was started years ago.
“With the help of individuals and businesses alike, we were able to fund the installation of the cameras at all the original sites that were approved in and around Melkbosstrand,” Barnes says.
Asked about the current stance on crime in the Melkbosstrand area, Barnes says the watch has a zero tolerance, across-the-board approach, to combating crime in Melkbosstrand.
“Melkbosstrand, like any other suburb, has its share of problems, and it is only by being vigilant and supporting our police by informing them of suspicious activity that they can respond and investigate, and hopefully, intervene if it is necessary. We support our police by being those additional eyes and ears while we are out on patrol and can therefore be considered to be force-multipliers. By employing CCTV, we have extended our capability with 24/7 eyes available at certain areas,” he says.
Installation
The team members are more awarene of possible criminals movements and activities.
“One example is the raised awareness to security at our local shopping centre where we are able to quickly identify suspects and vehicles used in commission of crimes. All information is handed over to the police for investigation and further action. Some residents report fewer vagrants in their streets, even on bin collection days as they have become aware that they are being monitored,” Barnes says.
Barnes told TygerBurger the response from the community has been overwhelming. Not only from a financial aspect but also from a material aspect.
“However, we still have a way to go to see the project reach its full potential. We need to encourage residents and especially businesses to support the project by donating. As the project continues to gain traction, more and more ‘street campaigns’ are taking off with neighbours raising the money to have cameras installed in their streets and incorporated into the system,” he says.
However, much more funding is needed to complete the next phase which is to install ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras to complement CCTV cameras.
“Residents have bought into the initiative of starting their own Street CCTV projects, have linked these to our main backbone network and in this way are helping to expand our coverage of the Melkbosstrand area,” Barnes says.
Melkbos Tactical Response (MTR), a local armed response company, is operationally and financially supporting the project and like all partners in safety and security, work closely with the police.
“One of the main purposes of a neighbourhood watch is to be the eyes and ears of the police and the community and to report any suspicious activity to the police. In addition to this, the NW focusses on the safety and security of the community and therefore, by installing CCTV, we are able to do so more efficiently.
Monitoring
The CCTV cameras are professionally monitored by a 24/7 Control Room (Deep Blue Security) linked to the watch’s local armed response company, MTR.
“The watch has opted for the more professional approach that the commercial ANPR/CCTV systems offer, rather than other legacy systems that have been used,” Barnes says.
ANPR cameras record vehicle number plates and match them against flagged vehicles of suspected criminals anywhere in the country before triggering an alert to a 24/7 manned, professional control room. The control room then verifies the vehicle details and within seconds, sends the information to the dedicated and vetted group of professionals and volunteers in the area.
“All information and follow up actions by these dedicated groups are recorded on the NAVIC ANPR National Cloud System, which is accessible to all policing agencies. Recording of all information on the ANPR Cloud also ensures accountability by the members of the dedicated groups and also provides valuable information, evidence and intelligence for police investigations.
“The ANPR professional system, together with CCTV (recorded footage), provides maximum effectiveness, which is in line with our Zero Tolerance approach to combating crime,” Barnes adds.
Barnes says he encourages residents to contact them should they want to set up their own street cam system and link it to the existing backbone system.
“They can get in touch with us so that we can see how we can assist you,” he says.
Contact the watch on info@mnhw.org.za for more information on how you can support the project.
