The Salem City police is planning to widen closed circuit television (CCTV) camera surveillance network in the city as part of its crime prevention efforts.
Besides installing cameras through various government schemes, efforts are also on to set up cameras at various points in the city through public participation.
Residents’ associations and trade bodies here are encouraged to install road-facing cameras on their premises.
Besides surveillance, police said that the presence of CCTV cameras itself would deter crimes.
Deputy Police Commissioner (Crime and Traffic) S. Senthil said, “prevention is better than detection and CCTV cameras deter anti-social elements from committing crimes. They fear that with CCTV visuals, they could be identified and nabbed.”
The city police, along with Kavalan Sevai Maiyam, installed 24 cameras in Old Sooramangalam Post area here at a cost of Rs. 10 lakhs, officials said.
Deputy Police Commissioner (Law and Order) P. Thangadurai said, “Salem city has a population of close to 10 lakh, but there are only 1,500 police personnel. Cameras would help in early detection of crimes.”
Mr. Thangadurai said that works were on to install cameras at Kannankurichi, Hasthampatti, Fairlands and on the premises of New bus stand. Besides the 200 cameras installed by the Salem city police under the modernisation programme, there are about 16,000 CCTV cameras across Salem city installed by various residents’ associations and traders.
