OpinionsThe Way It IsSee See TV, aka CCTV

See See TV, aka CCTV

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Closed-Circuit Television cameras have been deployed in Dumaguete for a good while now, that when I’m driving in the backroads of the City, I can confidently call the presence of CCTV cameras at any given intersection, and when I look up, there they are, a pair of opposing cameras.

They’re just about everywhere nowadays, thanks to the efforts of the City Mayor who strongly believes in their usefulness in keeping the City safe and secure.

Personally, however, when I think about it, they don’t really give me an immediate sense of security, knowing that whatever help they are in the event of an incident or accident, it is always going to be after-the-fact. If only the cameras can make arrests!

However, footage from a CCTV system could invariably lead to arrests but they were never meant to replace the presence of law enforcement in the City, if there were ever enough of them. Still, we may have some other uses for them other than recording accidents and crimes.

If an electric pole were to topple down in Candau-ay, a report of the incident would not reach the proper authorities in real time. There would have to be reports from residents of a power loss, or an eyewitness would have to call it in, before it would ever be known. Even with that, the exact location may not be immediately known.

Wouldn’t it be nice if those same authorities are visually alerted of the incident on their own, in real time? They would know which pole it is and where, allowing them to respond prepared with the right tools, equipment, and materials.

That would greatly eliminate delays, translating into savings, providing the public with service that they could only wish for today.
 

There is a way to make that happen–with CCTV cameras. It is only a matter of the City providing a separate feed to NORECO II, something they should consider doing, if the security and integrity of the footage can be assured.

The water utility could similarly benefit from the same–I have seen main line water leaks gushing out unto the street for days.

In times of natural disasters, CCTV systems, as in other countries, will prove immensely invaluable.

Today, I read an article posted on social media (300 security cameras in Dumaguete make footage search for people in contact with nCoV carriers tougher, (Inquirer.net, Feb. 3), that Dumaguete is sorting out footage from the more than 300 CCTV cameras in the City to try to identify the people who came into contact with the Chinese tourists, one of whom proved positive with the 2019nCoV virus.

The authorities said it may take time to do it. At least, they have a means of tracing the movement of those individuals, other than relying solely on interviews of people that may not even be able to locate.

As has already been seen in such a short time, CCTV cameras in the City have already paid dividends.

There was news that the Mayor is committed to adding more cameras to completely cover the entire City. It’s always great to hear that there is an initiative to improve safety in the City.

CCTV cameras have far more purposes than I have mentioned so far. In other countries, they are even used to study traffic patterns to help improve their roads.

They can also be used to improve safety in some areas of the City, especially at night when it is dark. A person may not be able to see clearly in the dark, but most CCTV cameras have night vision, bathing the area in front of it with infrared light visible only to the camera. Unsuspecting criminals engaged in nefarious activities will be on full display, even as they feel “safe” in the darkness.

Law enforcement responding to a crime in progress, of course, is another thing entirely.

It is overwhelmingly apparent that CCTV cameras are useful. They certainly serve as extra eyes that provide authorities a tremendous advantage in monitoring the City. They allow the City to see even when it is not looking. What else can do that?

But for all its benefits, they are merely tools and equipment, and as such, require maintenance.

We had a CCTV system where I used to work. It had 57 cameras that covered the interior and exterior of the 45,000 sq. ft. building and the immediate grounds. Fortunately, during the 20 or so years that I was there, those cameras never recorded a single crime. Instead, it recorded a few vehicular and personnel accidents on the premises, providing ease in their investigation. It required routine maintenance checks once a month just to ensure it would not fail just when it was needed most.

A CCTV system is susceptible to the ravages of weather. The cameras are usually inside protective housings, but they still require an aperture through which to see. The housing can become dirty, at which point the images become hazy, and you wouldn’t be able to read a license plate or recognize a face, perhaps even with facial recognition software. The recording then becomes unusable.

Their angles could also change through time, especially when they are nudged over by birds, for instance, or anything else that could physically exert some force on them. As little as an eighth of an inch deflection at the lens could translate to several feet at the subject, depending on how far away it is. They then become useless if they are pointed somewhere else.

In all these cases, they will require a visit by a technician. The system must also have an uninterruptible power backup that would allow it to remain operational for several hours at least, considering the reliability of the power supply in the City.

As the system helps us in our vigilance over the City, we must also be as vigilant over the system to ensure its trouble-free operation.

Like a new toy, the City’s CCTV system created much excitement and thrill among the officials and law enforcement before its deployment. It has been in place since, and continues to be a vital system in monitoring Dumaguete for crimes and accidents.

The system must be able to maintain its level of performance as agreed in the City’s 25-year lease agreement with PLDT. I hope their maintenance program is spot-on and reliable, especially as the system ages, so that it will remain a viable and vital part of the City’s arsenal of security options well into the future.

The CCTV system in Dumaguete is the greatest tool by far that allows it to see a good portion of the City from one vantage point in real time.

Keeping the system and its associated equipment in good repair will assure years of worry-free service. Necessary upgrades, as contained in the lease agreement, will only enhance its capability, a boon to the security efforts of the City. It has quickly become an indispensable security and safety monitoring system, deserving to be kept the way it is, or made better.

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Author’s email: [email protected]

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