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DDC & City Police To Form Committee To Look Into Downtown Security Improvements

November 15th, 2019 by WCBC Radio

The Downtown Development Commission and the Cumberland City Police Department will be forming a joint committee to look into ways to improve security downtown- particularly in the area of video surveillance. During a recent public meeting focusing on the growing problems created by vagrants on the mall- enhancing security measures was at the top of the priority list.  Cumberland Police Chief Charles Ternent met last week with DDC Chair Sandi Saville to discuss forming a committee- and pointed out that while at one time there were 38 security cameras in the city- currently only two are actually working. Saville said some type of program combining police security cameras and the use of citizen camera systems could go a long way toward solving the problem…

 

11 Responses to “DDC & City Police To Form Committee To Look Into Downtown Security Improvements”

  1. November 15, 2019 at 7:37 am, mac said:

    Uh oh, gonna have to buy 36 new cameras! The price tag just went up again.

    Reply

    • November 15, 2019 at 7:42 pm, Jay said:

      I can’t get past the fact that only 2 of 38 surveillance cameras are functional. Did anyone at the police dept or city hall notice?

      Reply

  2. November 15, 2019 at 7:38 am, mac said:

    Alexa, zoom in on that bum.

    Reply

    • November 15, 2019 at 8:44 am, David said:

      >This made me laugh out loud!!!!!!

      Reply

  3. November 15, 2019 at 8:47 am, David said:

    Ah yes, the continuing push for “cameras.” So a few questions that I asked every time “cameras” were offered as a solution. Who mans and operates these cameras? If they aren’t manned 24/7 how do they improve safety in the area? Who maintains the cameras? If the city IT department, do they hire more personnel or are they slowly allowed to decay and become inoperative when the current push is over? Sure, they provide evidence after a crime, but how do they increase active and timely safety? Cameras are not the solution.

    Reply

    • November 15, 2019 at 9:07 am, mac said:

      > David, very good point. My guess is that the tapes made will be reviewed as a way to “finger the perp” after the fact. You’re right, no crimes will be prevented but the cops will be able to proudly state that they collared the bum that peed on the planter box.

      Reply

  4. November 15, 2019 at 9:18 am, mac said:

    Rather than looking to cameras we should look to the past as a way of reducing crime.
    Matt Dillon always made his rounds of Dodge City making his presence known and rattling door knobs. Andy Taylor did the same thing in Mayberry.
    Random patrols of Baltimore St. will go a long way in preventing crimes before they start. Get out of the cruiser and make a lap. Don’t do it at the same time everyday, don’t park in the same place, and etc..
    Seems rather simple and obvious but not so obvious that the powers that be still think about cameras rather than feet on the ground.

    Reply

  5. November 15, 2019 at 11:11 am, Dave said:

    I agree with what mac says but I am not an expert on such matters.
    I wonder also that with those random stops if both county and city random stops and walks with canine units during daylight hours may deter some from hanging out and being sniffed out by those units. This would also give citizenry and merchants exposure to our different forms of police protection at work in our community.

    Reply

  6. November 15, 2019 at 3:06 pm, j.r. lepley said:

    I got a idea,,put a DUNKIN DONUT on balt st,,they ll be enough police car s parked there,nobody would dare do anything wrong!!!!

    Reply

    • November 15, 2019 at 7:43 pm, Jay said:

      Better hurry. They’re building the new Dunkin Donuts in LaVale as we speak.

      Reply

      • November 16, 2019 at 6:53 am, mac said:

        > Once complete we’ll be able to scientifically test that theory.

        Reply

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