In the wake of growing crimes and abduction spree, Sylhet Metropolitan Police (SMP) is going to install CCTV cameras at strategic points of the city to combat crimes more efficiently.
Initially, SMP will set up the cameras at entry points and some imSylhetant places of the city. Gradually, the imSylhetant areas under 16 police stations of the SMP will also be brought under the CCTV coverage.
Sources in the SMP said, though the Dhaka Metropolitan Police is using modern technology, like CCTV camera in combating crime, SMP has been lagging behind in this respect.
Criminals very often use vehicles like auto-rickshaw and microbuses for committing crimes and the police need to trace the vehicle manually to find leads during the investigation. The process is also time consuming.
Besides, during any crimes like snatching or abduction, people can notice the registration number of vehicles used. But it takes time to carry out drives by police after receiving information. The delay sometimes creates scope for the criminals to flee, said the sources.
Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Rohmat Ullah of SMP said they initially selected seven entry and exit points and 10 spots in the city to install the cameras.
‘The cameras will also be set up at other important places in the city,’ he said.
Crimes are taking place in the city area frequently while the criminals some time dump bodies there after killing someone outside, said the ADC.
Installation of cameras would help notice and identify entry and exit of any suspicious persons or vehicles through the points. The cameras of the entry points will help monitor movement of the vehicles and people after any crime takes place, he said.
Video footages of the CCTV cameras will be monitored round-the-clock from a control room at DB Office and the duty officer will inform the police station concerned of any incident immediately after it takes place.
The residents of residential areas of the city can also set up the CCTV cameras for security and then can be connected with the police control room for constant monitoring, he added.
