Dyer Questions Underuse Of CCTV Mobile Unit

No. 50 Friday, February 05, 2010
The closed circuit surveillance mobile unit at the St. James Police Division has been sitting idle at the Montego Freeport Police station for the past three months.

   In making the disclosure, an irate Chairman of the Tourism Enhancement Fund, TEF, Godfrey Dyer, says the unit which was bought with money allocated by TEF has not been used for months now and that there is a growing need for it to be put back in service.
    Speaking at the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry meeting, Mr. Dyer, says information from the Police is that the Unit has been parked because of a severe shortage of human resources to operate it.
    He says TEF has offered to train civilians to operate the unit, but that proposal has not been taken up by the police.
    The CCTV Mobile Unit which was bought at a cost of over $4M was commissioned into service in 2008 and has been credited for over 80 arrests which have been made across Montego Bay for crimes including robbery and tourist harassment.
    Meanwhile, a Police source at the Freeport Station who wishes not to be identified, said efforts are being made to have officers assigned to the unit as those who were originally working with it were transferred to other departments.
    Our source says within the next two weeks, the Unit should be back in service.