Police to integrate private CCTV cameras into national grid

The police is set to integrate CCTV cameras owned by private individuals onto the national grid, the Nile Post has learnt.

Police recently announced that a total of 5,552 CCTV cameras are set to be installed in various places around the country with the Kampala Metropolitan area taking a lion’s share with 3233 cameras on 1248 sites.

On the other hand, a number of private individuals and companies own Closed Circuit Television cameras at their premises.

In an interview with the Nile Post, the deputy Inspector General of Police, Brig.Muzeeyi Sabiiti revealed that authorities are looking into integrating CCTV cameras of private individuals onto the national grid.

“It is in plan to integrate private infrastructure. It is being discussed and in the future we can integrate them but for now we should be able to use the available infrastructure by government,”Brig,Muzeeyi said.

President Museveni last month commissioned the national CCTV project also code named the ‘Smart city project’ at Nateete police station, which is currently the temporary national command centre.

“Dealing with urban criminals is now going to be simpler. It is one of the smallest problems I have solved in last 58 years,”Museveni said.

Felix Baryamwisaki, the acting police director in charge of ICT said that as part of the safe city project for the entire country, CCTV cameras have so far been installed in 150 places starting with Old Kampala and Katwe police divisions.

He said that areas like Nateete, Rubaga, Lugala, Kabowa, Kawaala, Lungujja and Kasubi among others that fall under the two police divisions have been covered.

By integrating the private CCTV camera infrastructure, police would now be able to make use of the private infrastructure in areas where they don’t have infrastructure.

In case of any crimes committed in those areas, police can easily review footage from the private Cameras to help apprehend criminals involved.

Factory attacks

The deputy Inspector General of Police also commented on the attacks on various factories and business premises especially around areas of Kampala Metropolitan districts of Kampala and Mukono.

Over five factories and business premises have in the past two weeks been attacked by unknown assailants before robbing them of huge sums of money.

Speaking about the incidents, Brig.Muzeeyi said he had personally together with other senior police officers visited a number of factories and realised they had not made good use of the CCTV camera infrastructure installed in their areas.

“During our field visit, we realised a number of factories and business premises have CCTV infrastructure but it is not managed properly,” he told the Nile Post.

He explained that CCTV cameras should be manned on daily basis but in shifts of six hours per shift and reports made.

According to the deputy IGP, a person manning the CCTV camera should be able to watch any suspicious persons who loiter around the business or factory premises and can therefore alert police in case of anything.

“Before striking, most of these thugs first do surveillance on the premises. It would be good if the person manning the CCTV cameras makes reports about the suspicious people they see moving around the premises.”

He also warned that on all occasions, servers for the CCTV cameras should always be kept in separate and secret places to avoid being vandalised by thugs for fear of being detected.

“Strong doors and strong alarm systems to alert neighbours and police should be put in place.”

Brig.Muzeeyi Sabiiti however warned business and factory owners against keeping cash at the premises because it attracts robbers.

“In case of any attack, immediately call police for response.”