As festive season crowds increase in the heart of Castries, city officials are strengthening public safety measures through the introduction of mobile surveillance technology designed to support police operations during the busy holiday period.
On Thursday, December 18th, Mayor of Castries Geraldine Lendor-Gabriel announced a new public private partnership with IBS Inc., which has provided mobile camera units at no cost to assist city police. The initiative is being rolled out ahead of major seasonal events, including the Assou Square celebrations.
“We have been approached by IBS to provide us with gratis a number of camera, mobile camera systems, which will be implemented or will be utilized for the first time in any event in Saint Lucia and that is on Assou Square,” the mayor said.
She described the initiative as a reflection of the event’s growth and significance, adding that “it is testimony to the importance of that event, how it has grown, but more so why public-private partnership is so important.”
The mobile units, described as flexible and easy to deploy, are expected to enhance surveillance in areas where traditional fixed cameras may be impractical.
Director of Sales at IBS Inc., Dave Lake, explained the technology being introduced.
“We call it a camera on wheels. It’s a unit that is mobile and has six cameras,” he said. According to Lake, the system can be deployed quickly at events or in locations where installing permanent infrastructure is challenging. “These units can be placed at events or in areas where camera coverage may not be easy to do in the traditional way, running of cables and that sort of things,” he noted.
Beyond real-time monitoring, the units also allow for evidence gathering.
“It gives the capability for not only viewing but also retrieving recordings,” Lake explained.
He said one of the units has already been positioned at Constitution Park as part of the collaboration with the Castries City Council and the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force. “We’re actually collaborating with the Castries City Council and the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force to provide these units for the Assou Square Celebration,” he said.
Lake added that the mobile cameras will help close surveillance gaps across the city. “Providing coverage in areas where I know there are cameras across the city but there are certain areas where they may not have adequate coverage and this can definitely help in their policing efforts,” he stated.
City officials say the introduction of the mobile camera systems is expected to enhance public safety, support law enforcement and improve the overall pursuit of justice during the festive season and beyond.