Police cameras have helped to solve over 7,500 crimes
Since their 2012 rollout, over 90,000 Police Cameras (PolCams) have been installed in public housing blocks, multi-storey carparks, and public areas within neighborhood and town centers. They are also present in selected entertainment and commercial districts.
According to the Singapore Police Force (SPF), PolCams have helped solve over 7,500 crimes to date, enabling officers to arrest suspects within hours of reports being filed.
Furthermore, the presence of PolCams has significantly reduced various crimes in Housing Development Board (HDB) estates. Between 2015 and 2023, these crimes saw substantial drops: unlicensed moneylending-related harassment cases involving property damage (down 83.6 per cent), housebreaking (down 50 per cent), motor vehicle thefts in multi-storey carparks (down 80.9 per cent), and theft from motor vehicles in multi-storey carparks (down 67.7 per cent).
The SPF added that PolCams are expected to become even more effective as their sense-making technology is continually refined for quicker identification of leads from footage.
In 2022, a man stole an elderly woman’s bag in broad daylight. Thanks to PolCams in the area, the SPF identified the man and pinpointed his location, leading to his arrest.
In another case in 2023, PolCam footage helped the SPF locate a missing person with special needs, safely reuniting him with his family.
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