The local community has helped in bringing down the crime rate in the city by installing close circuit television cameras to help police identify suspects, said Karachi Additional IG Ghulam Nabi Memon.
At least 44,000 CCTV cameras have been installed in the city in collaboration with the community which has helped bring down the crime rate, he said.
Memon expressed these views while addressing a function organised by the neighbourhood community to install 52 high-resolution CCTV cameras and establish command and control in the Azizabad police station.
West District DIG Nasir Aftab, Central District SSP Rana Usman Maroof, and community representatives were present at the event.
Memon said he feels pleased today that the endevours of community policing started three years ago have paid off.
He reminded that police had suggested surveillance in cooperation with the local community in the high crime rate areas. With the move, it became more accessible for the police to catch the culprits involved in crimes.
He said that so far 44,000 CCTV cameras had been installed in the city in collaboration with the local communities.
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Memon noted that it was very gratifying that the people understood the point of the police and acted on it. Karachi police chief said that crime has decreased in the areas where CCTV cameras are installed.
He said that two more police stations were being planned North Nazimabad and Azizabad
He added that some officers were averse to CCTV footages going public because these video clips would go on air on the mainstream media besides on the social media attracting strong criticism o police.
However, he continued, "we went ahead with the idea of installing CCTV cameras in collaboration with the residents of the area, though we get criticised for crime whenever these footages go viral, it helps us catch the suspects."
Additional IG Karachi said that Karachi was ranked sixth on the international crime index among the most dangerous cities. However, after three years, it reached 63 and was now at 129. Among the most dangerous cities, Caracas, Venezuela, is on the top and Abu Dhabi, UAE is at the bottom at 459.
He said that Karachi is doing better than many global cities. Police alone cannot prevent crime in the city and need the collaboration of the community.
Responding to questions from media persons, Additional IG Memon said that the detection rate of police has improved after the installation of CCTV cameras.
Surveillance cameras help police identify and track the suspects. He said that citizens must register complaints regarding incidents in the police station.
Memon further said that as the command and control system was inactive in the past, efforts would be made to prevent it in the future. He said that work was being done to enhance the investigative capacity of the police department, and other facilities would be provided to the investigating officers, including the amount of investigation cost. He added that work was underway on a plan to e-tag the habitual arrested accused. Addressing the function, DIG West Nasir Aftab said that community policing is the need of the hour, and crime can be controlled through a coordinated effort of people and police.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 30th, 2022.
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