Police want to install cameras everywhere!
SOUTH DAYTONA, Florida - December 7, 2009 - In every park and on many streets, South Daytona police want to watch over their entire city with surveillance cameras. They say the project would give police a chance to catch criminals in action, no matter where they go in the city.
Police say they say the cameras would drastically cut down on crime. The city already has surveillance cameras in all of its parks. But police want to cover the rest of the four square miles of the city.
It was a drive-by shooting in July that was solved because of surveillance video that got police and city leaders in South Daytona talking.
"It's just one of who knows how many crimes we could have solved, if we'd captured it on video or captured something on video that would have helped out," South Daytona Police Chief Bill Hall said.
South Daytona is planning to start negotiations with companies both to upgrade its current 70-camera system and expand it citywide. Major intersections would be covered; high-crime neighborhoods would be covered.
The ideal set up for police will be one where they don't even have to wait to see what cameras catch. They'll be able to view cameras or play them back from their cars on their way to a crime scene.
The problem however, is the cost. A high-tech system could run from $750,000 to $1 million. The city only has about 16,000 in grant money right now. Some residents wonder if the cost is really worth it.
"I haven't really seen it used to solve many crimes, personally," resident Ryan Nunez said.
"I think if they could find a cheaper way to do it, I think it'd be a great thing for this city," resident Amanda Montillo said.
There isn't a lot of crime in the area, just 10 robberies the first half of the year, but that's double for the same time last year. The police chief has started putting extra officers out on overtime to try to bring those numbers back down.
Ed. Note: Of course this story conveniently leaves out the cost of these surveillances devices to the personal privacy and individual liberty of each citizen living in South Daytona. When is enough, enough? Revolution Now! Independence Forever!
Police say they say the cameras would drastically cut down on crime. The city already has surveillance cameras in all of its parks. But police want to cover the rest of the four square miles of the city.
It was a drive-by shooting in July that was solved because of surveillance video that got police and city leaders in South Daytona talking.
"It's just one of who knows how many crimes we could have solved, if we'd captured it on video or captured something on video that would have helped out," South Daytona Police Chief Bill Hall said.
South Daytona is planning to start negotiations with companies both to upgrade its current 70-camera system and expand it citywide. Major intersections would be covered; high-crime neighborhoods would be covered.
The ideal set up for police will be one where they don't even have to wait to see what cameras catch. They'll be able to view cameras or play them back from their cars on their way to a crime scene.
The problem however, is the cost. A high-tech system could run from $750,000 to $1 million. The city only has about 16,000 in grant money right now. Some residents wonder if the cost is really worth it.
"I haven't really seen it used to solve many crimes, personally," resident Ryan Nunez said.
"I think if they could find a cheaper way to do it, I think it'd be a great thing for this city," resident Amanda Montillo said.
There isn't a lot of crime in the area, just 10 robberies the first half of the year, but that's double for the same time last year. The police chief has started putting extra officers out on overtime to try to bring those numbers back down.
Ed. Note: Of course this story conveniently leaves out the cost of these surveillances devices to the personal privacy and individual liberty of each citizen living in South Daytona. When is enough, enough? Revolution Now! Independence Forever!
