[kictanet] [PK] Kshs 8.5 billion on just CCTV cameras within Nairobi?

[Matunda Nyanchama]

Friends

National Task Force on Police Reforms (created following the post-election violence of 2008) was presented with various views and made certain recommendations. I have included below some views and recommendations pertaining to technology.

May be the Kenyan Police have a roadmap towards effective use of ICTs. For example what would be priority: automating the occurrence book (and use of intelligent data mining to design effective/efficient solutions), HR, Finance, etc or CCTV? 

On our part, we did prepare an unsolicited proposal in which we suggested a diligent approach to technology needs for policing, which would result in prioritization. We later learnt that the priority they had was acquiring CCTV, an idea we felt was being pushed by CCTV vendors rather than security priorities.

NB: Kshs 8.5 billion? I hope someone has a good rationale. 

Here are the police views according to the report
a)   Communication
equipment within the police, particularly in rural areas, were found to be
either absent, non-functional, or poor and outdated. This directly undermines
the ability by members to access telephones,
mobile phones or internet facilities to enable them to undertake their
normal policing functions. Police investigators routinely use their personal
mobile phones for official purposes, as they have no access to police
communication systems. The Task Force was also informed that some criminals
have superior communication equipment to that of the police, which enables them
to intercept police communications. 
b)   The
investigative function of the police has been weakened by inadequate crime
intelligence, lack of modern technology,
reduced operational autonomy of the CID, transfer practices, and a re-active ‘fire
fighting’ approach to policing. 


 The Task Force noted that:
a)   Information
and Communication Technology (ICT): The police services lack the basic ICT
knowledge and skills, equipment and infrastructure. The lack of an effective
electronic network and communication system, which connects police stations,
undermines the ability of the police to use simple and cheap communication
systems for policing purposes. The police are further not able to key in and
preserve crucial information and data that would ordinarily help them not only
track criminals but also to inform them on crime patterns or trends as well as
assisting in case management.  
b)   Cyber crime: This
Task Force noted the increase in the use of information technology in the
commission of crimes including complex frauds, computer hacking, credit cards
scams, spreading of computer viruses, facilitation of human trafficking and
child pornography using internet. It was clear that most police officers lack
the most basic I.C.T. knowledge. 
The Task
Force recommended, inter alia,
(a)That the tooling,
logistical and technological capacity of the police services be reviewed to
establish the exact needs and specification in order to bring policing to
international standards. Consideration should be given to prioritizing
Communication and information technology and transportation.
(b)That the use of
CCTV cameras as a policing component particularly in major cities and our
highways be incorporated in the National Policing Plan. The police should
coordinate with the private sector to maximize and synchronize the use of CCTV
to combat crime.
(c) Legislation needs to be developed to make
electronic, audio-visual, computer data and photographic evidence to be
admissible in court.  
(d)That the capacity
of Forensic Science Service Department (FSSD) be enhanced within the
Directorate of Criminal Investigations to be staffed by civilian experts to
enable the police concentrate on their core duties.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Matunda Nyanchama, PhD, CISSP; mnyanchama at aganoconsulting.com
Agano Consulting Inc.;  www.aganoconsulting.com; Twitter: nmatunda;  Skype: okiambe
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Be prepared for ICT security failures & know how to respond when they happen! 
Call: +1-888-587-1150 or info at aganoconsulting.com
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"The best revenge is massive success" - Frank Sinatra-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This e-mail, including attachments, may be privileged and may contain confidential or proprietary information intended only for the addressee(s). Any other distribution, copying, use, or disclosure is unauthorized and strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by reply e-mail and permanently delete the message, including any attachments, without making a copy. Thank you.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://lists.kictanet.or.ke/pipermail/kictanet/attachments/20121129/e3d37768/attachment.htm>