3000 police officers to be trained in CCTV camera management

Over 3000 Police officers are set to be trained and equipped with CCTV management skills as part of the ongoing Uganda Safe City CCTV project, the Nile Post has learnt.

President Museveni ordered for installation of Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras along major highways, towns and cities all over the country to help curb crime following the brutal murder of AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi, together with his bodyguard and driver by unknown assailants in Kulambiro, a Kampala suburb in March 2017.

Museveni early this month commissioned the CCTV camera project at Nateete police station, which is currently acting as 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,” he said.

However, speaking at the beginning of the training on Friday, the deputy director in charge of ICT in the police force, Commissioner of Police Yusuf Ssewanyana said over 3000 personnel would be trained in various aspects including operating, traffic, field officers, command and control, technical engineering, computer science and technicians so as they are equipped with day to day knowledge and operations of thee CCTV camera system and its maintenance.

“We shall have specialists in power management, video analysis, artificial intelligence and machine language,” Sewanyana said.

He added that some of their officers are already receiving practical training in installing equipment in data centers, aligning fibers, installing monitor walls and cameras as part of the safe city project.

Speaking to  trainees at Nateete Police Station, AIGP Haruna Isabirye, the police Director  in charge of Human Resource Development  urged the officers to be committed if the project is to be a success.

“Grasp the objectives of this project, understand the concept and be committed. This is a multiplier effect because  these machines will help us in easy policing and fighting against crime, investigations , response and prevention of  crime,” AIGP Isabirye said.

A number of high profile personnel have in past few years been shot dead in a similar fashions by unknown gunmen travelling on motorcycles before riding away, a thing that has caused panic and worry to  Ugandans over their safety.

However, while speaking at the commission of the CCTV cameras early this month, Museveni said there is no more need to worry following the installation of cameras and recruitment of Local Defence Units in Kampala Metropolitan Area districts of Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono where crime has been on the rise.

“When Jesus was crossing the lake and the storm hit the boat, there were disciples who panicked but when he woke up, he blamed them of being with little faith. The problem of criminals is a small thing. The NRM has solved so many problems and this one (criminality) is very easy. What we need are the eyes, ears and nose to detect them. They (CCTV cameras) are now here. We have solutions to all these problems.”

He predicted doom for criminals.

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.

The acting Police director in charge of ICT, Commissioner of Police, Felix Baryamwisaki said a total of 150 cameras have so far been installed as part of the first phase of the Smart city project and by Christmas, over 400 cameras will have been installed.

The project started with Nateete, Rubaga, Lugala, Kabowa, Kawaala, Lungujja and Kasubi areas of the Old Kampala and Katwe Police divisions.

The cameras according to police are to be monitored according to the nearby police station in charge of the specific area where the CCTV is mounted.

The CCTV cameras by Chinese company Huawei Technologies are categorized into the Fixed and the Pan Tilt Zoom(PTZ) cameras and  have features including automatic number plate recognition, facial recognition, night vision and Global Positioning System(GPS) among others.