Drones with infrared cameras and licence plate cameras are soon to be introduced as crime-fighting technology tools by the Bedfordview Community Policing Forum (CPF).
This is part of the many plans the CPF has for 2018, according to the forum’s chairperson, Gavin Henry.
“We want to embrace technology this year, and LPRs and FLIRs are imminent and will be introduced in the next couple of months.”
Henry said these devices will assist CPF members to not only fight crime, but to be protected while doing so.
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Yet what do these abbreviations stand for?
“A licence plate capture camera, also known as a licence plate recognition (LPR) camera, is a specialised CCTV camera that has built-in software to help identify and record licence plates on still or moving vehicles,” Henry explained.
“We enter the number plate that we are looking for into a database, and as soon as the camera picks up the licence plate, we’ll be notified and intercept.”
The chairperson said forward-looking infrared (FLIR) drones will be used for night-time aerial surveillance of vagrant hot-spots, including the Bill Stewart Nature Reserve, Morning Hill koppie and Essexwold Golf Course.
“The FLIR drones have sensors installed in the cameras which can pick up heat and movement at night. At night when we’re patrolling, we’ll be able to see where it’s really dark and also be protected from walking into an ambush.”
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Henry said one of the major issues the forum was faced with was a shortage of vehicles and members to drive the vehicles because of a lack of funds.
“If we can’t have more vehicles, then we’re going to have to use technology and be smart,” he said.
The chairperson said they also plan on expanding their relationship with the SAPS and trio task team.
“Everything is about relationships, to get assistance and to share intelligence gathering.
“In 2018 we also want to encourage both the EMPD and the SAPS to work together with various security companies in conducting roving roadblocks.”
Henry pointed out that this was in the hopes of intercepting crime in the suburbs.
Car guard vetting is another matter on the CPF’s 2018 to-do list.
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“After making sure that they don’t have pending cases and that they are legit, we want them to wear CPF reflectors,” he added.
He appealed to the community to get involved in neighbourhood patrolling.
“There are five of us running the CPF. We need people to get more active, patrol their streets and report suspicious activity so that we can follow up.”
Lastly, to keep tabs on pending court cases, Henry is calling on community members with time on their hands to attend court hearings on an ad hoc basis and give feedback to the CPF.
For more information, go to www.bcpf.co.za or email info@bcpf.co.za
