More surveillance cameras are coming to Syracuse’s north side neighborhoods, where city officials are confident that these cameras will reduce neighborhood crime. Over a crowd of cheering citizens, Mayor Stephanie Miner announced Tuesday that a set of nine police cameras will be installed in the Washington Square neighborhood, and seven will go up in the Hawley-Green neighborhood within the next six months. Miner says these C.O.P.S (Crime Observation and Protection System) cameras have been used successfully throughout the City of Syracuse. Activist in the Washington Square Neighborhood, Maureen Dore says these cameras are a good source of protection when nobody is around to help.
“The police can’t be at the park twenty-four hours a day. We also know that police cameras catch criminals and that they deter the crime, but they also do something. They provide relief to the residents and a chance for the people to move forward to revitalize their areas.”
Police Chief Frank Fowler says criminals often look for places where they won’t be easily detected to commit robberies. He says this is why he is confident the new cameras will continue to help reduce neighborhood crime.
“These cameras have already proven to be effective in other neighborhoods. As you can see by the crime index mapping in those neighborhoods prior to and after the cameras were put up, there is a significant change in those neighborhoods.”
Fowler says many residents seem to be more comfortable with the idea of having cameras around since they have experience with their benefits in other Syracuse neighborhoods. He says the process of securing the grants, acquiring equipment, and getting approvals has been streamlines, so he anticipates this project may go even faster than previous installations. Assemblymember Bill Magnarelli secured $225,000 in funding for the cameras.