ALL LAW-ABIDING Barbadians will welcome the Royal Barbados Police Force’s efforts to remain relevant in its fight to stem crime which has become increasingly sophisticated and organised. The news that there is to be acquisition of a surveillance drone as part of the force’s arsenal is therefore welcome.
The local constabulary should long ago have had a few drones. It is very likely that the criminal elements already have for their own nefarious deeds as they will make the best use of the available technology to try to stay ahead of law enforcement.
We do not expect our police force will use the drone to invade individuals’ privacy rights whether through unnecessary monitoring of personal conversations or peering into homes. Its use should be subject to ethical safeguards and reasonable justification, and there must be clear regulations to guide the actions of law enforcement officers.
The force had made a step in the right direction during the Cricket World Cup nine years ago with the introduction of a blimp, the installation of cameras at traffic lights around The City as well as security cameras at strategic points in and around Bridgetown. In quick time, the blimp disappeared from the skies while some of the cameras either remain as decorations or are all gone.
But the range of crime and infractions over the same period has grown and the perpetrators have refined their skills. The ever expanding illegal drugs trade remains a major challenge for police officers and the use of technology will improve the prospects of catching those involved – whether the small distributors or the “big fish”. Drones can also be used to catch motorists disregarding traffic lights consistently, and using illegal vehicle registration numbers.
In addition to the drone, we would suggest that the police are provided with an in-car camera network which can help to eliminate some areas of doubt and suspicion, automatic licence plate recognition for mobile patrol vehicles, and a global positioning system which can serve multiple purposes.
Thermal imaging should be considered as this can help lawmen in areas ranging from searching for individuals and crime scene investigations to tracking marijuana growers who move their operations indoors. Equally as important is for the police service to have a criminal investigations records system where vital data on crime and criminals can be easily stored and retrieved.
We appreciate that with a limited budget Government needs to be cautious with its expenditure. The police high command on the other hand must ensure that its members are well trained to properly use the technology and that it is serviced and maintained.
The widespread application of technology can change the way our police department operates by making it better and more effective and efficient.