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Jakarta Post

Jakarta lacks sufficient surveillance system: Police

A police officer points out traffic-monitoring CCTV cameras at the National Traffic Management Center

The Jakarta Post
Wed, December 9, 2015

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Jakarta lacks sufficient surveillance system: Police A police officer points out traffic-monitoring CCTV cameras at the National Traffic Management Center. (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga) (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)

A police officer points out traffic-monitoring CCTV cameras at the National Traffic Management Center. (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)

The capital city is not equipped with a sufficient surveillance system, according to Jakarta Police chief Ins. Gen. Tito Karnavian.

"There is no comprehensive CCTV [closed-circuit television] system in Jakarta," said Tito in Jakarta recently as quoted by tempo.co.

According to Tito, the only CCTV provider in the city was the National Traffic Management Center (NTMC) within the National Police and a small number of private citizens and businesses. He added that he hoped Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama's plan to install 6,000 CCTV cameras could be realized next year.

"Hopefully the CCTV [system] will be able to monitor the whole city, including traffic congestion, public activities such as demonstrations and criminal offenses," said Tito.

Separately, criminologist from the University of Indonesia Kisnu Widagso said that CCTV would serve as an effective crime prevention tool as people would think twice before committing a crime if there was a high possibility of being caught on camera.

"CCTV can also help solve crimes that have already been committed. But [the cameras] should be of good quality as most CCTV cameras nowadays do not work," said Kisnu.

Ahok reportedly said on Tuesday that as many as 4,000 CCTVs, all equipped with face detection technology, had been prepared for installation in Jakarta'€™s public areas by June 2016.

According to Ahok, to fully enhance the security in Jakarta using the CCTV system, integration with other digital identity data was important, such as the electronic identity card (e-KTP).

"So we can easily match and detect everything," said Ahok, adding that there were also plans to include other data, such as personal job and income information.

Currently, at least 12 CCTV units had been installed along rivers and floodgates, eight units at one-stop integrated service (PTSP) facilities, 26 units in the Johar Baru area in Central Jakarta and at least 128 units spread over five different locations, said Ahok.

According to Tito, in addition to the CCTV camera shortage, Jakarta also did not yet have an emergency call system. He said such a system would be useful in situations such as when a woman was being followed by someone when walking alone at night or when someone was having a heart attack.

Tito added that the emergency number119, which would be integrated with the police, ambulance and firefighting services, had been prepared by the Jakarta governor.

"For instance, in [cases like] the recent accident involving a commuter train and a Metro Mini bus, ambulances, the police and firefighters will be able to arrive at the location faster. It will be better if the system is under one roof," said Tito. (kes)(+)

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