Jacob: Tech tools, drones help in crime fight

Acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob has dismissed claims that the police have not thoroughly integrated technology systems in the fight against crime.

Responding to questions from reporters during a media briefing at the Police Training Academy, St James, on Friday, Jacob said he took note of concerns raised by the public over a perceived lack of technological devices being integrated in police activities.

He said such claims were simply untrue and stressed the value of technological support not only for intelligence-gathering but to assist police during exercises.

"What we have done for the people in the operational sector is to be more proactive where they will be focusing on certain hotspots and hot points within the city and if they see something is happening they can alert the officers on the ground to respond

"So we have that support.

"When we know that it is necessary we also have support from the use of our drones in the air support section that also feeds the footage into our operational centre. So if we have an operation going on we will use the drone to assist us and in some instances we don't wait on an operation, once there is a heightened activity within the area we will use that to help us.

"That will enhance the whole aspect of the CCTV network that exists and where there are gaps the drones can in fact fill those gaps to assist us on the way forward."

Referring to operational command centres which assist in co-ordinating police officers in different areas while offering maximum coverage, Jacob said surveillance technology and online database information on vehicles and criminals were available to improve efficiency.