Cayman’s 400-camera-strong CCTV network will be expanding next year to fill gaps in strategic locations as part of planned upgrades by the Department of Public Safety Communications.
Department Director Sean Vasquez stressed the importance of the CCTV network upgrades, which will help maintain public safety as well as assist law enforcement agencies in their investigations.
“We’re looking to identify key locations with our public safety agencies whereby we’ll be building some resilience into that [network] and also looking to start discussions with some other third party agencies that will be able to build resilience into [the CCTV] platform as well,” he told the Cayman Compass.
Expansion is also planned for the cameras on the Sister Islands, he said.
Vasquez said discussions are currently ongoing with the Ministry of Home Affairs to determine how many cameras will be installed and in what locations.
He said the department is working very closely with the police and border control, as well as some other agencies, to map out the expanded network.
“I’m very much looking forward to a further expansion of at least an additional 25 to 50 cameras. That’s a healthy hope,” he said.
He said the CCTV network is functioning and the cameras are “continuing to provide valuable intelligence to the police and other response agencies”.
Vasquez said the department is working through some issues when it comes to partner agencies’ dependence on the footage and building out resiliency on the network “to make sure that the cameras and the uptime of those cameras remain at its highest”.
He said he is expecting the upgrades to be done by the second quarter or third quarter next year.
Electronic monitoring system review
Vasquez said work is also ongoing to upgrade the electronic monitoring system, which includes the use of ankle monitors.
He said investigations continued into breaches in the system in which some individuals were able to remove their ankle monitoring devices.
The department, he said, is looking at new technology to address this and procurement of new, tamper-proof ankle monitors.
“We’re looking at alternatives and more robust controls to put in place when it comes to the tampering of the hardware – stronger ankle bracelets, more robust hardware and the housing of the hardware and the type of clients that are being placed on the programme,” he said.
The team at the department, he said, is looking at the needs of agencies like the RCIPS, Department of Community Rehabilitation and the prison service for the electronic monitoring system to make sure that the solution implemented is fit for purpose.
“[And is] one that aligns with the existing technology and industry there and just more tailored and suited [to the Cayman Islands]. Even from a technological standpoint and a security standpoint, these are all things that we are taking a more granular look at with the [new] solution,” he said.
He said the department is also having discussions with the agencies using the programme to educate personnel on the uses and future uses of the programme.
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