Non-Functional CCTV Cameras Frustrates Security Work In Kitgum

Kitgum District security personnel have raised concerns about the non-functional Closed Circuit Television cameras (CCTV) installed in Kitgum Municipality.

The first phase of the installation of eight CCTV cameras started in May last year within Kitgum Municipality, as part of the government’s initiative to fight urban crimes. To date, the Municipality has a total of 15 CCTV cameras installed in strategic areas in the central business district and along major streets in three divisions of Central, Pager and Pandwong to boost security.

Kitgum Resident District Commissioner William Komakech says that a year after the cameras were installed, none has been in operation despite growing cases of petty crimes.

Komakech says security personnel are currently frustrated in conducting a thorough investigation of suspects who commit crimes under the cover of darkness in spots where the CCTV cameras have been mounted.

According to Komakech, security personnel are now conducting physical tracing of suspects implicated in such night crimes without the aid of a CCTV camera, which would have been much easier if the cameras were functioning.

//cue in: “the CCTV Camera…

Cue out:…would be aborted.”//

Komakech says when he made a follow-up on the non-functionality of the cameras with the police, he was told the personnel to operate them hadn’t been trained yet.

He has appealed to the Police authorities to expedite the operation of the CCTV cameras within the Municipality so that they serve their purposes of fighting urban crimes.

//cue in: “When I tried…

Cue out:..fight petty burglaries.”//

Pandwong Division Chairperson Ben Bob Ayoli notes that cases of theft and burglary have been on the rise in the area recently with limited success from security personnel and local leaders in tracing the culprits.

Ayoli notes that it’s hard to rely on Police sniffer dogs which are in most cases used in tracing for suspects behind robberies citing that CCTV Cameras lessens the burden of identifying criminals.

He says despite being told that the Cameras are functioning, they are puzzled to learn that the police lack professionals to operate the surveillance systems.

Sylvia Mutume, the Head of CCTV Camera operation in the Aswa River Region says that some of the cameras are not yet functioning since they require programming to link them to the police control system.

Mutume also notes that there is still a challenge with manpower at the station to run the operation of the cameras adding that they intend to train some personnel specifically for the assignment.

“We just have a programme of getting some training for some personnel but so far we haven’t yet gotten them. We are still waiting for the go-ahead from our bosses to give us a go-ahead for the training,” Says Mutume.

According to Mutume, once the signals have been programmed and personnel trained, the cameras will be fully operational next month.