MP Scott: Consider Security Cameras On Buses
It may be time to consider the cost and benefits of adding security cameras to buses and ferries in the “interest of keeping all modes of public transportation safe,” Shadow Minister of Transport Lawrence Scott said.
Mr Scott said, “Last week, an incident happened on a public bus that highlights the need for security cameras to be installed on all public transport. As the incident is under investigation by the BPS, I will refrain from details, however, it was traumatic for all passengers on board the bus at the time which included tourists and locals alike.
“This highlights a key concern that I mentioned back in 2014 during the budget debate; I suggested on the floor of Parliament that the Minister have his team, at the very least, look into the installation of close circuit security cameras on our buses.
“Minister Crockwell agreed and I believed this was a suggestion that had his support. Unfortunately, here we are, over a year later, and there is still seemingly no progress.
“Based on the number of the incidences of this nature on our buses, and with a large number of our population utilizing the public transportation, the time has come to take the vision that I outlined in 2014 and bring it to fruition.
“It may be time for the Bermuda Police Service and the Public Transportation Board to consider the cost and benefits of retrofitting the buses and ferries with security cameras, in addition to provide a monitoring service for them, in the interest of keeping all modes of public transportation safe.
“As the Minister of Tourism & Transport, one would think that Minister Crockwell would be doubly concerned at an incident of this type, so we hope that he will act by taking our recommendations onboard.”
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Get to it government.
how about bus driver training which educates them to stop the bus and call the BPS if the passengers in his/her care are behaving inappropriately?
They actually do that now. This is what they did in the incident in Somerset recently.
good idea!!! (not) but that doesn’t stop the crime from being committed. the time it takes the driver to stop the bus to call the police and to wait for them the crime would have been long committed and if the person is armed they would have gotten off the bus already. so back to the matter at hand cameras on buses, not training
silly wabbit as if 99% of the bus passengers don’t already have cell phones — some of them possibly streaming the event live on You Tube or Facebook…
that may happen, but the cameras could be a deterrent before the behavior actually takes place.
The police know who the culprit is, they need to deal with him harshly. A 15 year old boy should not continue being a menace to Somerset and the rest of Bermuda.
Great idea mp Scott!!! Now may I make a suggestion too you?? Go out and find that $800 million YOUR plp lost of our money and this much needed added security on our public transportation would be easy too do!!! Until you realize and admit that we are totally broke because of your parties ( plp ) incompetence, I will always have trouble listening to you and your plp!!!!
cameras plus hard drive specific for public transportation come in around $1000. Assume $1000 installation ($5000 installation if union job). How many bus’s are out there?
It all sounds “nice” just like a few other suggestions made by the Opposition P.L.P. but first, where are we to get the funds to purchase, install and maintain these cameras, We can’t keep the Public Transportation running due to lack of monies. So I ask inform us as to who will pay Shadow Minister of Transport Lawrence Scott for this ingenious idea?
Once again the Progressive Labour Party Shadow Ministers are “a dollar short and a day too late” O.B.A. Minister Shawn Crockwell has stated the Government have now 16 brand new fully equipped buses and will be in time getting more.
“and there is still seemingly no progress”
Yep, and there it is again, the PLP making groundless implications.
Perhaps, just perhaps, we have no money with which to pay for these cameras? Now, why would that be?
I would sooner we, as a society, educated our youth to grow into the sort of person who does not need to be monitored 24/7. Somewhere in the last generation we seem to have lost that ability.
Again, why would that be?
long over due!
get on with it for everyone’s sake
If they keep the cameras running the same as the air conditioners it’ll be a non-issue
Totally agree with this (PLP, please don’t fall off your chairs…..) and the cost can be low. It would be a very good deterrent and would make a lot of passengers a lot happier ….
The kicker here is the fact that people see this stuff.
Speak up and help or shut up.
Shalom.
I think we should just have camera’s on the bus.Some buss drivers can get very rude.As well as passengers which isn’t a good look for tourist.
Mr. Scott,
Several service providers have proposed this solution to the PTB. There is never any money and secondly the ‘óperators’ do not want big brother looking at what they do.
How did this major incident on a bus evade being reported in the news?
I have no idea what this incident was but if everyone made it off the bus without the ambulance taking persons away in critical condition then it was nothing compared to an incident that was completely unreported about 2 weeks ago .
It seems that at least half of the stuff happening here now is not known about whatsoever . And that’s not necessarily a reflection on our media outlets either .
Like someone said a long time ago , if you really want to know how bad things are here speak to a cop in confidential or ask the staff at the emergency ward at the hospital.
I think cameras are a great start Minister, but it is only the beginning. We need to do a comprehensive effort for the safety of all. Installing cameras will not deter the public alone. We must review the authority of bus drivers and ferry pilots, beef up the policies around disturbances on public transport. Educating the public on new rules and penalties, this includes literature distributed when passing out fare and passes, signs on the modes of transportation, schools and the media.
Boy the PLP have a whole bunch of suggestions these days. Any suggestions on how to pay for all of the recent suggestions?
I assume the unions, who are normally resistant to any kind of technological progress, are ok with this. After all, it will mean there is a record of everything done by the bus operator.
Spot on.
It’s reassuring to know that all the new buses the OBA has brought in over the past 2 years already have cameras. It was decided that retrofitting the older buses was not economical. The plp know this. With crime at a fever pitch back a few years ago why didn’t they actually do what they are suggesting now? They certainly spent handsomely on everything they saw fit at the time. This issue somehow wasn’t a priority back then for them. Laurence should ask his father why they didn’t do it. The new buses of which there are at least 12 maybe even 16 now have cameras and any more that come in will have them.
So sad but, true
Well #1 Where’s the money coming from?
#2 Will there be any whining from the PLP if camera’s were installed and they captured the usual suspects causing all the trouble?
It would appear by the comments that no one has ridden on the new 14xx series buses, even the ones in the opposition. It might be worth just making a call to Dept Public Transportation and ask a question before making all the noise.