Why did I and some of my colleagues vote for the Security Camera Ordinance?
 

Firstly, the main purpose is to offer the maximum safety to our residents when shopping in our town centers, the only area over which we are responsible.

Our police spend an inordinate amount of time in these shopping centers as would be expected. They are locations that make it easy for criminals to assault citizens when they are least expecting it and also to break into cars knowing that the owners are busy shopping. To maintain adequate police coverage for our residents in their homes we feel that it is necessary for the owners of these shopping centers to take some of the burden away from us.

It is up to the center owners as to how much of the cost of these systems gets passed down to their tenants. The town is going so far as to assist the property owners with up to 25% of their costs. The costs are now minimal using the newest wireless technology and our technical and time requirements have been greatly toned down to allow them to easily comply.

We are proud once again,  being one of the newest municipalities in the State, to be able to pass another new ordinance for the benefit of the people, similar to our Green Initiative.

A great deal of misinformation has been distributed, much of it by people not even living in our town. All one need do is watch the nightly news or read the daily newspapers to see how valuable these cameras are in solving crimes. The deterrent effect of the required signs in the parking lot is of itself effective. No, they do not usually capture a close-up view of the offender, but they do give police an idea of the vehicle, driver’s size and dress and many other details that often prove useful. I have spoken to forensic analysts who tell me that they are able to discern amazing details once the videos are analyzed. Some speak of the liability factor. We choose to let the lawyers fight each other on that. The truth is that the liability for not having any defense measures is higher than the possibility of having a device that doesn’t happen to be functioning at a given moment.

The e-mails that I have received in favor of this ordinance are documented at Town Hall and far outnumber those opposed which come primarily from the retail business establishments and those that must do business with them by selling their particular product or service.