Street cameras watching my back

AS A woman, walking down any quiet street even in broad daylight can be daunting. In my line of work, those walks happen at night too.

Constantly looking over my shoulder to assess the threat level of my surrounding environment can be stressful.

Many times after a night assignment, I’d dash to my car, channelling my inner Usain Bolt, and lock myself in immediately.

One feature on Penang’s streets that makes me feel safer is the presence of those tall posts at strategic corners.

Each post has at least one camera, a loudspeaker and a device with a little antenna connecting the cameras to the control room.

On the island, the control room is in Komtar, where the wall is lined with dozens of LCD screens.

The operators can combine multiple screens to display the feed from a single camera, and these cameras can zoom in to provide a high-definition view of your face.

CCTV cameras at the Octopus Bridge in George Town, Penang. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star

Sometime ago, residents would leave bags of rubbish by the corner of a roadside in the heritage enclave, expecting council workers to collect them.

Stray animals and even crows would scatter the rubbish everywhere.

Penang Island City Council (MBPP) launched an operation using CCTV cameras.

When they spotted residents littering “live”, enforcers on motorcycles were dispatched to catch them in the act.

Footage being monitored at MBPP’s CCTV control room in Komtar. — FilepicLeft: A CCTV camera installed at the Octopus Bridge in George Town, Penang. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star

Another time, control room officers spotted a lorry driver illegally dumping construction debris into the sea. He was caught too.

Since 2019, live video feeds are also sent to the police operations room in Penang.

“Anyone who wants to commit crime in Penang should know that they are being watched through CCTV cameras by MBPP and police,” warned Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow when he launched the police and city council’s monitoring partnership in January 2019.

The cameras utilise a facial recognition system powered by artificial intelligence.

If someone is on the wanted list, the system will identify the person right away and alert the police.

The next software upgrade will include automatic vehicle ­number plate recognition, so errant drivers beware.

Currently, there are over 1,300 such cameras in the state — 1,100 on the island and 240 on the mainland.

By 2027, there will be about 1,000 on mainland Penang and more still on the island.

It is reassuring to know we are being monitored on the streets, unless, of course, you have something to hide.

However, I still walk briskly to my car after dark and remain aware of my surroundings when I’m alone.