Vlasotince installs its first ever surveillance cameras to boost citizens’ safety

The Municipality of Vlasotince in cooperation with the Police station and the support of the Safer Cities component of PBILD Programme, has successfully implemented Pilot project "Secure life in the safe city".

The project value is $ 13.500 and it will create the optimal conditions to increase traffic safety and, first of all, reduce criminality, by improving technical capacities of Vlasotince Police station and training all relevant subjects in the area of prevention.  

The video surveillance system was put on test run on Thursday, 20th September, in order to improve safety of all participants in traffic, reduce number of offenses and improve the overall safety of citizens and their property. The video surveillance system consists of 3 cameras, central monitor, and device for digital recording, processing, storage and transmission of video signals, as well as additional equipment and installations, placed in Police station Vlasotince. The news about the installed cameras got quickly spread all over town. Police confirms that in last two weeks drivers became more careful. Nenad Stojilković, Commander of Police station Vlasotince said that Police is monitoring places in town previously recognised as points with highest number of traffic offences and disturbances of public peace and order.

The specialised agency for video surveillance delivered the training to the Police Officers on the use of the video surveillance system, while the Municipal Administration, in cooperation with the Police station in Vlasotince, conducted a public survey on the safety. They have also participated in several local and regional television programmes to raise public awareness on the safety issues.

On September 27th video surveillance system was officially put in operation, and the Press Conference was organised on the same occasion. Mayor of Vlasotince Nenad Stojanović says that Municipal Administration has recognised system for video surveillance as one of the priorities in this municipality, since it improves the safety of all citizens. He used this opportunity to announce a second phase of the Project: „We plan to continue the implementation of this Project and to expand the system by placing additional video surveillance cameras at the predetermined key places in town”.

Namely, given that video surveillance system can support a number of cameras, members of the Municipal Safety Council will launch an initiative which will promote cooperation between the public and private sectors. Private entrepreneurs will be offered with possibility to have a full-time video surveillance of their factories, dairies, cafes, shops and the like, if they provide funding for the purchase cameras that would monitor their facility and the access roads or streets, while the other camera would be placed in a school surroundings, or some other place in town of public concern and interest. In this way, in addition to the above, Project would increase public confidence in the Police, and encourage cooperation between public institutions and the private sector.

With these and similar initiatives, sustainability of a Projects "Secure life in the safe city" is guaranteed, the safety of citizens and property built to a higher level, and police work significantly alleviated.

National Radio Television Serbia RTS published this news within their "Srbija today" chronicle
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8WaHrHWt9AE