RISING concern over crimes has seen many closed circuit television systems and cameras being installed all over – beyond banks to almost every office, commercial and residential building – plus even the corner mamak restaurant.
And yet, criminals aren’t afraid – and the number of reported snatch thefts, mugging and robberies only seem to be rising daily.
The police already say they are working overtime with limited resources and the people-on-the-streets don’t feel safe – wondering if and when whom could become next unwitting victims.
Amidst this overwhelming evidence that current measures aren’t enough to keep criminals at bay, there’s always the realisation of other crime-prone cities around the world which have somehow managed to somewhat rein in criminal attacks.
So how have others succeeded in making streets safe for the average person? The answer lies in seamlessly linking CCTV cameras along streets so that criminals aren’t just caught in the act – their movements continue to be tracked until they’re caught.
Of course such a system to continuously monitor thousands of cameras costs way too much for our local authorities to install anytime soon – mainly because available resources and rampant vandalism remain a big problem too.
Getting community involved
A creative method is needed to go around our local limitations – and one such solution is voluntary community policing website Cyber-RT (www.Cyber-RT.info).
Instead of depending on the authorities to come up with necessary resources to install and run a very expensive high-tech CCTV monitoring system, Cyber-RT taps into existing resources which many already have right now.
Every CCTV camera can be easily and quickly plugged into the Cyber-RT website platform via the Internet. And since the actual cameras are maintained by their respective owners, the upfront cost is minimal – being shared among many.
More importantly, the number of eyeballs available to monitor our streets (via the Cyber-RT website) suddenly catapults into thousands – instead of just a select few in locked monitoring rooms.
This immediately becomes a huge deterrence to would-be criminals, knowing fully well where live video is being streamed by CCTV cameras – which can’t be touched because they’re out of easy reach.
Psychological barrier
Tapping into the Rukun Tetangga spirit, which remains live and well, the Cyber-RT platform sharing of CCTV video feeds lets the average person contribute towards making our streets safer.
But there’s a psychological stumbling block – with some asking: “Will this invade my privacy?”
This may sound like a good question – until someone you know or even yourself could end up becoming the next victim.
Then, the privacy issue is replaced by: “Why aren’t there more CCTV cameras?” So the choice is really up to each one of us – can we do something now to prevent more victims, or only act after it’s too late?
In any case, Cyber-RT has put in several measures to protect everyone’s privacy – from 45-second live video viewing limits to turning off errant cameras upon receiving complaints.
And only those authorised can view archived videos – for example the Police, Bomba, JPJ, etc. No one else from the public can rewind to view what took place even 10 seconds earlier.
Still, questions remain if these measures are good enough – and like how Google Street View continues to fix mistakes, the same applies with Cyber-RT. And while initial focus may be on the potential 0.1% privacy issues, should we let criminals continue to compromise our safety?
Sharing the caring
Sharing the caring is now possible via online community policing initiative at www.Cyber-RT.info, backed by the people who handle monthly community newspaper SJ Echo and former news portal The Rakyat Post.
Developed on the concept Rukun Tetangga, the uniquely Malaysian community policing effort that also fosters stronger bonds within neighbourhoods, Cyber-RT leverages on latest technology to enable better monitoring of neighbourhoods from the comfort of one’s home or office.
To be part of Cyber-RT, participants volunteer their old smartphones or browser-capable CCTV cameras by registering them at www.Cyber-RT.info – then simply attach these devices to their home or office windows or walls.
The live video feed can then be viewed by anyone via the website map – using a display very similar to the Waze display.
Having been built on advice received from local and international tech giants – including Bosch Malaysia, Google, iVideon, Manythings, U Mobile, Waze Malaysia and YouTube Asia – input from local stakeholders will be given focus during the beta trial period.
Details instructions on how you can be part of this community policing initiative can be found at www.Cyber-RT.info/join.
Also view our special offer for Subang Jaya residents and how you can get a RM10,000 government grant for CCTV purchases at our Facebook page.