Government

Camera System to Help Fight Crime Delayed as Agreement With WAPA to Charge Poles Has Yet to be Reached

Senators last week called into question the urgency of the Bryan administration in getting cameras aimed at fighting crime in the territory installed and activated, as a July 27 date of completion has been delayed to September for the earliest, because an agreement with the V.I. Water and Power Authority to energize the poles on which the cameras are being installed had not been reached. That's according to outgoing Police Commissioner Trevor Velinor, speaking during the V.I.P.D.'s budget hearing last Thursday. He said the camera system will not meet its completion date because "we've ran into some issues regarding charging the actual poles so we've been working with WAPA. We're now in progress on that end." He also said the USVI needs a lot more cameras than the amount currently being installed to get the desired coverage. According to the commissioner, phase one of the project sees the installation of 104 cameras in forty locations for a projected scope of work cost of $900,000, wh...