The City of Lansing has a plan to fight crime 24 hours a day with technology. The $35,000 plan includes placing cameras in various areas of the city. The cameras will notify the police department when a crime is taking place.
The first camera went in March near the Arbaugh building, which is in the heart of Downtown Lansing.
“So far there have been 20 arrests based directly from the camera where an observation of the camera of illegal activity resulted in the dispatch of officers,” says Randy Hannan, with the City of Lansing. “It resulted in 18 misdemeanors and two felony arrests, one of which was for a sex offender.”
The city also has a camera on the Southside of Lansing. Three other cameras are spread throughout the city.
“One camera in two months has really had a significant impact on the Southside and Downtown,” Hannan says. “It shows that the cameras have a certain effect, but also have the ability in real time to be a key tool to assist our officers.”
Hannan says large cities throughout the country use cameras to fight crime. The city plans to add five more cameras by the end of the summer.
Source: Randy Hannan, City of Lansing
Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.
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