1,000 Surveillance Cameras to be Installed Across the Country

During his appearance on Open Your Eyes this morning, Police Commissioner Chester Williams said that, “We will be installing, I think, about 1000 surveillance cameras across the country.”

This is one of the Department’s strategic measures to be more proactive in addressing crime. Equipped with advanced features like facial recognition, license plate reading, and motion detection, these cameras aim to enhance security across Belize, not just in Belize City. The motion detection system, for example, can identify unusual activity within a group, zoom in on the area, and alert authorities to potential issues.

“One of the features the cameras have in terms of motion detectors, let’s say, for example, you have a group of persons, and there is some unusual movement in that group; the camera sends an alarm to say to you that something is happening here. And it doesn’t only send an alarm; it also zooms in on the area where the problem is detected to pick up who is around.”

Panic buttons will be installed in key locations throughout the city. In case of incidents like robberies, pressing a panic button will immediately alert authorities, prompt cameras to focus on the area, and track individuals fleeing the scene until police arrive. “Let’s say, for example, you’re walking on Albert Street and you’re robbed; there’s a panic button there. Press that panic button that sends an alarm right away. The camera in the area will go to the area where the panic button is, and it will pick up who is around, and if there’s anybody fleeing, the camera follows them until the police arrive.”

Additionally, ComPol Williams has instructed commanders to conduct at least twice-weekly intensive operations targeting criminal activities. These efforts include home and base searches and closely monitoring individuals riding motorcycles, particularly when two persons are on one vehicle, as this is often linked to criminal behaviour.

Undocumented motorcycles will be confiscated as part of the department’s crime prevention strategy. He said police officers will be “going after those persons riding motorcycles, particularly when we see two on a motorcycle. Believe you me, 90 percent of the time, you’re going to commit a crime. So we need to ensure we target those people. We’ll also be taking away motorcycles that are undocumented.”

Installation is expected to begin in March.