THE Safe City initiative is driving a surge in traffic enforcement nationwide, with more than 200 parking and obstruction cases recorded each week, according to Traffic Chief Mahendra Singh.
Speaking at the launch of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) Christmas Policing efforts last Friday, the traffic chief said the real-time camera system has become one of law enforcement’s most effective tools.
“Safe city has translated into safe country. These cameras help us to have a real-time appreciation of where the issue exists so that we can deploy or redeploy to meet the demands,” he explained.
The safe city initiative utilises facial recognition, vehicle tracking, and licence plate recognition to aid in investigations.
The heightened visibility has also left many motorists surprised at how swiftly ranks respond when a vehicle is left in a dangerous or obstructive position, playing a crucial part in crime prevention.
The traffic chief made it clear that such response times are possible due to the technology that the force has deployed.
He cautioned motorists against reckless use of the road. Singh warned them not to park their vehicles in a manner that obstructs traffic, noting that those who do so will be issued a ticket.
“This is not a lotto, this is not a case without a ticket, you don’t have a chance because this lotto you have to pay for. If you don’t pay, you will proceed to court to ensure the warrant is there to compel you to pay,” he warned.
The Traffic Chief commended the government’s investment in the evolution of the surveillance network.
“We had one command centre many years ago. These days, in almost every coastland division, there is an operable command centre,” he said.
The state-of-the-art command centres are part of the “Safe City to Safe Country” project, which aims to expand the security infrastructure beyond Georgetown to the entire nation.
It is designed to boost security and safety through technology. Each command centre includes a central operations room for real-time monitoring, equipment rooms, and other facilities to support staff and operations. [DPI]