Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Effectiveness of PolCam System, by Mr K Shanmugam, Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law

Question:

Mr Desmond Choo: To ask the Minister for Home Affairs (a) how effective has the Police's camera system PolCam 2.0 been in preventing and solving crimes in the heartlands; (b) how will the system be enhanced in the future; and (c) what are the costs for maintaining and upgrading the system.

Answer:

1. 1. As of September 2019, Police have installed about 11,000 cameras under PolCam 2.0 in town centres, neighbourhood centres, hawker centres and link-ways leading to transportation nodes such as MRT stations and bus interchanges. Police will continue to install cameras in more public areas based on our operational needs to enhance public security, and to prevent and detect crime.2. The tender for the PolCam 2.0 project was awarded at a budget of $45 million, including maintenance costs.3. These cameras have helped Police deter and solve crimes, such as unlicensed moneylending, robbery and theft, and outrage of modesty. As of September 2019, more than 3,400 cases had been solved with the help of video footage from Police cameras.4. The Police will continue to leverage technology as a key strategy to ensure a safe and secure home for Singaporeans.