As an action to counteract police brutality, the National Police announced the entering into operation of the first 339 Internet-connected Police patrol units. The government has ordered 500 of these units.
The announcement was made by the Executive Commissioner for the Reform and Transformation of the National Police, José Vila del Castillo (Pepe), and the director-general of the National Police, Major General Eduardo Alberto Then.
In making the presentation of the Santo Domingo police headquarters, Police Commissioner Jose Vila del Castillo said the initiative is a great step forward for the police reform and the Integral Strategy for Citizen Security “My Safe Country.”
“This equipment allows us, in the first place, to multiply in many points the capacity of the Police when doing their work in the streets; in second place, to guarantee that the police processes, that the cameras record (and the contents) remain as sources of investigation. Thirdly, to supervise the work of the Police; fourthly, to also protect the behavior of the citizens in all those requisitions that are made and, fifthly, and much more important, is that they allow us to establish the starting point of this police reform officially,” explained Vila, as reported by the Police in a press release.
Vila was accompanied by Major General Alberto Then, director-general of the Police and who after recent police brutality events has not been available to the press.
Vila said that 54 units have been assigned to the National District, 41 to Santo Domingo East, 28 to Santo Domingo North and 26 to Santo Domingo East. While in the East Regional Directorate (La Romana) 52, Southeast Regional Directorate (San Pedro de Macorís) 14, South Central Regional Directorate (Baní) 34, South Regional Directorate (Barahona) 9, West Regional Directorate (San Juan) 7.
Similarly, 7 were sent to the Northeast Regional Office (San Francisco de Macorís), Northwest Regional Office (Mao) 2, Central Cibao Regional Office (Santiago) 12, South Cibao Regional Office (Bonao) 26, Specialized Office of Attention to Women and Domestic Violence (27).
The new Internet-connected vehicles are fitted with car kits that contain: A video recorder (DVR); two high definition cameras for exterior and interior use; microphone; tracking and geolocation system (AVL) (GPS); SIM Card module for 4G communication; a backup battery; and an antenna system, which will allow the collection of information that will be used for investigations and to follow up the work performance of police officers.
The cameras have the capacity to monitor and listen to live images internally and externally, with a recording system of up to 30 days that can be uploaded to the monitoring center servers simultaneously for protection and availability through LTE data technology (SIM cards). In addition, the real-time GPS system contains the history of the patrol car’s route.
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National Police
Listin Diario
23 May 2022