MORANT BAY, St Thomas — Members of the St Thomas Municipal Corporation are calling for the introduction of the JamaicaEye public safety initiative in the parish, specifically in Morant Bay.

JamaicaEye is a closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance programme used by the police to assist in crime-fighting efforts and for maintaining public order.

It is a public-private partnership, launched in 2018, and is designed to network CCTVs owned by the State as well as accommodate feed from privately owned cameras.

Registered private citizens are able to share footage from their cameras with the authorities free of cost, and the system is monitored by trained, technical members from the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF).

During last Thursday’s monthly meeting of the corporation, Mayor Hubert Williams (People’s National Party, White Horses Division) questioned the police to find of if there are any plans to roll out this initiative any time soon.

Williams argued that the introduction of JamaicaEye in the parish will help make the tracking of criminals easier and will cover a shorter time span.

“It is better to be proactive by putting in place preventative measures, that way we can stay ahead of the criminals instead of them being ahead of us. This is really needed in the town of Morant Bay,” he reasoned.

The mayor was supported by Councillor Michael Hue (Jamaica Labour Party, Port Morant Division) who said that a correspondent from the St Thomas Municipal Corporation should be sent to the Ministry of National Security, stating the need for execution.

“I think we should implement JamaicaEye before any more fatalities and burglar[ies] happen,” said Hue.

He noted that there are certain camera specifications for JamaicaEye to work effectively, and urged the mayor to get the requisite information from the Ministry of National Security so he can then relay these details to business owners in the town when they are setting up cameras.

Responding to the councillors, deputy superintendent of police in charge of operations in St Thomas, Oniel Thompson said the JCF has been thinking about the implementation as well.

“We are also having that discussion with the Community Safety and Security Branch of JCF as well as with other members from the wider JCF body,” said Thompson.

He added that the cops will be organising a meeting with the municipal corporation to discuss the concerns and the way forward with this public safety initiative.

“While driving through the town of Morant Bay I am able to see several cameras installed by different business owners. The police have had the conversation with the business owners as it relates to the importance of having cameras installed,” added Thompson.