The city government is aiming to put up 430 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to cover all critical areas in Bacolod this year, Mayor Alfredo Abelardo “Albee” Benitez said on Monday, March 20.
The CCTVs will ensure faster response to crimes and calamities, he said.
Bacolod currently has 85 CCTV cameras but he is not sure how many are still functioning, Benitez said.
What is important is that the CCTVs will have the capacity for facial recognition and to capture plate numbers of vehicles, especially of those involved in hit and run incidents, he said.
Col. Thomas Joseph Martir, Bacolod police director, is about to exit Bacolod, he said.
Benitez said he wants Bacolod to have a good police director who can act on the unsolved crimes in the city.
Meanwhile, Benitez said persons who lost city vehicles assigned to them and did not follow proper procedures on reporting should be held liable, otherwise it will set a precedent.
City Administrator Pacifico Maghari said some of those who lost the vehicles only filed blotter reports but did not comply with other requirements.
There are five unaccounted vehicles that were either declared stolen or could not be found, Maghari said.*