MAGALONG (FB)
BAGUIO CITY – The artificial intelligence (AI) capability of the local government's command center has been proven effective in tracking traffic violators.
"These past incidents and the latest one proved that the SC3 (City Command Center) is living up to its purpose as the city’s integrated hub for public safety, emergency response, and urban management," Mayor Benjamin Magalong said on Friday.
Launched in September 2021, the SC3 is the central dispatch for 911 emergency calls, utilizing city-wide closed-circuit television (CCTV) feeds to monitor traffic and security and integrating real-time health and environmental data.
Magalong said the SC3's AI capability was recently tapped in traffic-related investigations, which led to the identification of vehicles and eventual apprehension of the offending motorists.
In a report, a vehicle that came from out of town and violated the city’s “king of the road” ordinance was tracked, identified, and charged before the Land Transportation Office (LTO)-Baguio.
The ordinance mandates all motor vehicles to slow down and stop before a pedestrian lane to allow the public to pass first before proceeding.
This was made possible with the use of the command center’s AI capability and CCTV monitoring system.
A report to the Baguio City Police Office-Traffic Enforcement Unit showed that the incident involved a gray Toyota that entered Baguio City through the Naguilian Road at about 11:22 a.m. and exited the same area at about 3:40 p.m. on May 23.
The vehicle was caught violating the ordinance along Yandoc St. at 11:30 a.m.
Although the vehicle’s make and color were clearly captured on CCTV footage, investigators initially encountered difficulty identifying the plate number due to glare from sunlight.
Using additional CCTV footage from nearby areas, the Command Center investigation team used the city’s AI-assisted monitoring capability to trace the vehicle’s movements and identify its registered owner, who was identified as a resident of Bauang, La Union.
“The driver was informed of the violation and was issued a traffic citation ticket, which mistake was reportedly acknowledged by the vehicle owner,” Magalong said.
He cautioned the public, including tourists, to follow the rules when in Baguio, as this can be detected and recorded using advanced technologies installed in the city.