Zambo’s security surveillance center helps solve crimes

ZAMBOANGA CITY’s Security and Surveillance Coordinating Office (SSCO) has demonstrated anew it capabilities in the police investigation and resolution of various crimes here.

The Security and Surveillance Coordinating Office is the brainchild of Mayor Beng Climaco.

SSCO said its command center proved steadfast in its commitment to provide investigators with material information that ultimately led to resolution of numerous incidents, apprehension of suspects, and recovery of stolen property. 

For 2020, it reported a total of 278 incidents - 38 were emergency and 210 were non-emergency incidents, and 30 violations of quarantine protocols. 

SSCO said it assisted in the quick resolution of 135 vehicular episodes and 17 hit-and-run cases. Plate numbers of the vehicles involved were recorded and forwarded to the authorities. Moreover, it forged a collaborative link with private establishments which provided closed-circuit television footage to aid in tracing and tracking suspected vehicles. 

It was also instrumental in maintaining peace and order here, having monitored and reported to the police 11 unattended items, three suspicious persons, and three abandoned vehicles. 

As to crimes against property, the SSCO said it provided investigators all material information to identify the suspects in several cases of theft and robbery within the business district and assisted in tracing and tracking suspects involved in a carnapping incident and in the recovery of valuable items left inside a public utility vehicle. 

Early last year, the SSCO said it dispatched policemen along R.T. Boulevard after an operator noticed an argument between a man and woman quickly escalating into an attempted stabbing incident. Similarly, it provided investigators with data assistance in a shooting incident in April. 

The SSCO recorded a total of 30 traffic violations and aided the Office of the City Administrator in handling complaints from traffic violators against traffic enforcers through the provision of video footage captured by the various CCTV cameras installed in strategic areas around the city. 

Impressive 

The SSCO is the brain child of Mayor Beng Climaco with security as one of her top priority programs. 

Former Regional Police Director, Brigadier General Jesus Cambay, Jr. who visited the SSCO last year, said he was impressed by its operation. Cambay was briefed on the SSCO’s accomplishments since its establishment in May 2019 and maintained 24/7 operations amid the coronavirus pandemic to keep Zamboanga safe and secured. 

A simulation exercise was also held during Cambay’s visit to show to the official the SSCO’s capabilities to monitor, coordinate and response during emergencies or incidents. 

Cambay commended the SSCO for its contributions to the local police force which was awarded as “Best City Police Office” in the country last year. 

Good Job 

The peace and order situation in Zamboanga has tremendously improved, especially the past 8 years of the Climaco administration and with the local government’s all-out support to police and military authorities and other law enforcement agencies. 

Climaco said the installation of high-quality, high-definition security cameras in different areas here was a big factor in maintaining peace and order, and also the logistical support the local government provided the police and military. 

She said the SSCO – the first in Western Mindanao and second in the southern Philippines after Davao City - has a huge impact on the peace and order situation. Because of the state-of-the-art command center, the SSCO continues to monitor different strategic locations here - day and night – where security cameras are installed. 

The modern SSCO, under the supervision of Christopher Mandi, contributed in solving and preventing crimes and coordination with the police and military. 

Climaco said the local government installed over 100 security cameras as part of the Security and Surveillance Equipment and System Project to ensure public safety. 

The system, she added, uses Huawei’s intelligent video and data analytics solution. The SSCO - operated by over a dozen personnel - complements the local emergency telephone hotline 911. It was only during Climaco’s time that all these security programs have been implemented for the benefit of the residents.

Zamboanga has been a consistent awardee of the DILG campaign which gives an award, incentive, honor and recognition for local government in an effort to further strengthen accountability, particularly in good financial keeping, disaster preparedness, and social protection. (Claudine Uniana, Zamboanga Post) 

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