The Pittsburg City Council accepted a plan Monday to replace and develop its already huge system of police cameras across the neighborhood.
The man who oversees the police division’s grant applications advised the council members why the town wants three extra automated license plate reader cameras added to its 9-year-old system.
“Our purpose: enhancing community safety with vigilant camera expansion,” mentioned Lieutenant William Hatcher of the Pittsburg Police Department. “As the city grows, so too does our camera system. So, as you think about it, as commercial areas go in or residential areas go in, we increase that public safety camera system to keep in pace with the growth of the city.”
The first cameras went in again in 2014 in Pittsburg and the town at present has 175 cameras strategically positioned across the neighborhood — 178 after the brand new cameras go in.
A precious instrument within the metropolis’s crime discount technique in response to Hatcher who says it’s paid off to this point.
“We can use that data to back-track and create leads. It’s no different than a witness or a cell phone video,” he mentioned, including it’s helped native police clear up every part from automotive break-ins to a homicide.
There have been no complaints. In reality, nothing however reward from a downtown restaurant proprietor.
“We just had a couple of robberies up the street,” mentioned Johny Khalilieh, proprietor of La Veranda Ristorante Italiano.
He mentioned the extra eyes to combat crime the higher, so far as he’s involved.
“I think cameras would provide more security,” mentioned Khalilieh. “Maybe if somebody knows there’s a camera and somebody is watching they won’t do that.”
He typically worries crime within the space drives away prospects who’re afraid to come back downtown and over time, extra cameras may additionally imply extra enterprise.
“So maybe we can prevent some crimes and some thefts in this downtown,” mentioned Khalilieh.
The council additionally accepted utilizing practically $300,000 to replace software program and servers for the general public security camera system.
