Seychelles Police commission refurbished communication and command centre |22 September 2016

The Seychelles Police yesterday commissioned a new communication and command centre which they say will empower them to deliver a better and professional service to the community and improve on their goals and objectives in order to achieve their vision and mission.

The commissioning formed part of activities to mark World Peace Day yesterday. Other activities by the force included blood donation at the Seychelles Police Academy at Pointe Larue and a Special Peace Service at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Victoria.

The centre is equipped with high-definition surveillance cameras and flat screens operating on wi-fi connectivity covering a large area of Victoria and its vicinity, as well as telephone and radio systems where officers deal with public queries and calls on a 24hr basis.

The centre has also been refurbished so as to create a conducive working environment for its staff and operators.

It will provide services which will include efficient telephone operators; punctual radio dispatches; GPS monitoring of all police vehicles; CCTV surveillance and electronic access to the number of officers and where they are deployed daily.

Present at the commissioning were the Minister for Home Affairs Charles Bastienne; Commissioner of Police Reginald Elizabeth; other high officials of the force and the security consultant of the CCTV project Steve Garrad.

Superintendent Francis Songoire gave Minister Bastienne an explanation on how the command centre functions and the services it offers.

“The Communication and Command Centre can be regarded as the heart of the Seychelles Police Force, whereby its primary purpose is to receive all emergency and non-emergency telephone calls and ensuring that the necessary police or emergency assistance is dispatched immediately to deal with any incident on hand in both an effective and professional manner,” said Police Commissioner Elizabeth.

He remarked that the centre will provide leadership and guidance to the officers on the ground, so as to ensure good practice is maintained through good communication, monitoring and efficiently responding to all forms of crimes, incidents or events and to ensure the safety of persons and properties.

“Today criminals are getting smarter and are making use of technology to commit many crimes. As a crime combating organisation and law enforcement agency, it is very important to modernise our force. Embracing technological development must become the core of our restructuring process if we are to remain ahead of criminal elements,” he added.

Explaining the facilities and services the centre offers, Superintendent Songoire said police officers there work on 12hr shifts.

“As you can see there are radios, telephones, monitors and cameras. What we do inside here is we control police activities, like its name says ‘command and communication centre’ and it is the heart of the Seychelles Police work.

All the reports, calls that are made to the police come in here and where necessary are transferred to appropriate stations to provide the necessary assistance. Any station that receives a report and needs to go on scene, has to inform the command centre about it,” Supt. Songoire explained.

“About 90% of the town area is under camera surveillance. If not camera the police has its mobile or foot patrol when they use their radio which is also monitored on screen at the command centre. There is also GPS where the officers on patrol are also seen on camera at the centre. So the centre facilitates the work of the whole force compared to how it was a few years back,” explained Supt. Songoire.

Mr Songoire added there are many acts – both traffic and criminality – that have been captured on camera and used in court as evidence.

Work to refurbish and expand the communication and command centre has been financed by the Seychelles government.