With increased foot traffic expected during the festive season, authorities in Castries are moving to reinforce public safety by deploying new mobile surveillance equipment aimed at supporting police operations during the holiday rush.
On Thursday, December 18, Castries Mayor Geraldine Lendor-Gabriel announced a public-private partnership with IBS Inc., under which the company has supplied mobile camera units free of charge for use by city police. The rollout comes in advance of major seasonal activities, including the upcoming 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.
Lendor-Gabriel noted that the initiative underscores both the scale and importance of the event, while highlighting the value of collaboration between the public and private sectors. She added 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 camera units are designed to be adaptable and easily installed, allowing for surveillance coverage in locations where fixed cameras are not feasible.
IBS Inc. Director of Sales Dave Lake provided details on the technology now being introduced.
“We call it a camera on wheels. It’s a unit that is mobile and has six cameras,” he said. Lake explained that the system can be rapidly deployed for events or in areas where permanent camera installations would pose difficulties. “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.
In addition to live monitoring, the units are also capable of storing footage for investigative purposes.
“It gives the capability for not only viewing but also retrieving recordings,” Lake explained.
One of the units has already been installed at Constitution Park as part of the partnership involving 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 further indicated that the mobile systems are intended to address gaps in existing surveillance coverage throughout 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.
Officials believe the introduction of the mobile surveillance units will strengthen public safety, assist law enforcement efforts, and contribute to improved justice outcomes during the festive season and beyond.
