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Published Wednesday, March 10, 2010 in Local
Photo by Jeffrey Leo
The current Newnan Police system consists of 20 cameras, but the new system would give the department the capability of adding up to 60 camera sites.
Newnan OKs $184,000 to buy camera system
The Newnan Times-Herald
The Newnan City Council agreed Tuesday to fund a high visibility crime suppression camera system for the Newnan Police Department at a cost of nearly $184,000.
The request to replace and upgrade the camera system was sent out in November and the city received three bids that were all over budget. The police department worked with the low bidder -- Wind Channel Communications -- to reconfigure the program and bring the cost down closer to budget, according to Newnan Police Chief Douglas L. "Buster" Meadows.
The project -- which would cost a total of $183,982 -- will be funded by a $75,430 Justice Assistance Grant, with the balance coming from drug condemnation funds.
The current system consists of 20 cameras, but the new system would give the department the capability of adding up to 60 camera sites within the city of Newnan over time as money allows, according to Meadows.
Meadows said the department has installed cameras in high crime areas where drugs are frequently sold and in high volume intersections. The cameras have the capability of filming in real time and archiving information for 14 days. Officers can review the data and archive video to a CD permanently. Police have upgraded the capabilities of the cameras at entrance ramps to the interstate so they will be able to capture tag numbers.
The cameras are also a matter of officer safety, according to Meadows. Officers responding to the scene of a crime will now be able to upload the images from a nearby camera directly to their in-car computer.
"This will be real helpful because responding officers can get an idea of what's happening before they arrive at the scene," said Meadows.
Software updates will automatically upload to an officer's in-car computer and in-car camera because the system runs off a radio frequency.
Wind Channel Communications is expected to meet with Meadows in early April to plan implementation. Meadows anticipates that some, if not all, of the cameras will be up and running by summer.
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I know that money is allocated to be spent in certain ways, but I have to wonder...with the budget crisis the state (and soon our county) is in, if this money went towards education, how many teachers' jobs would be saved? just seems so backwards.
Posted by CK at 1:39 AM
Not a very popular idea to have the cameras put up / improved / and expanded. It does look alot like "Predatory Policing" A term I apply to Peachtree City Police = They are very fond of issuing fines for petty insignificant things .....Looks like Newnan PD has learned a few tricks from our neighbors.
Posted by Kirk Wilson at 7:52 PM
s. jones, if you had put more emphasis on reading what i typed than telling me im not a genius, then you wouldve noticed that i said:
"federal drug forfeiture laws allow state and local LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES to keep for their own use 80% of the cash, cars, and homes seized from drug suspects, thus granting LAW ENFORCEMENT a direct monetary interest in the profitability of the drug market."
notice the use of the term law enforcement agency as opposed to the names of individual police officers. You did manage to get one thing right in pointing out the fact that cops dont ride around in lavish cars and live in mansions. You think the LAW ENFOCEMENT AGENCY would give that money to them? haha. they love it too much to give it away...
for the love of the money, my friend.
Posted by matt at 7:26 PM
So now we are going to have cameras on every corner like England and China? Why should we give up our privacy for your camera system? You should not be able to peer into our lives any moment you wish. Installing cameras into high crime areas is a discrimination against minorities and the poor.Everyone should be outraged by this. We don't need the government sticking their nose in our private lives even if we plan to sell dope. We shouldn't have to be in fear that there might be a camera capturing our activities, legal or illegal. One last thing: I'm not a criminal just because I drive up the interstate ramp! So don't film me! you don't have permission! You and your orwellian idiot ideas about surveillance!
Posted by anonymous at 1:58 PM
your right, law enforcement can recieve up to 80%, but "for their own use" what world do you live in, ever see a cop drive an 50,000 dollar vehicle, nope. ever see a cop in a 100.000.00 mansion, um nope.
so you see, your not that big a genius afterall huh. Oh yeah, atlanta has real estate there too, bye :p
Posted by S. Jones at 4:36 PM
I don't think these cameras are meant to catch people running redlights like in Atlanta. At least the current camera system was never used in that manner. I thought these cameras were meant to be used to keep an eye on crime areas which are areas that don't have red lights at least in most areas.
Posted by ...... at 12:37 PM
I would call it ticket by remote control. not crime control. They have already figured the return on the investement and it is dollars not reduction in crime. Crime will not drop but I'd bet the number of ticket and guests at local traffic court increases 10 fold.
Posted by disgusted at 4:17 AM
everyone with anything to say read the comment posted by matt. we are very misinformed.
Posted by george at 6:17 PM
I sure hope they put up 100s of dummy ones when they add the new ones!
Posted by Not a Good Ole'boy at 11:00 AM
So...funding will pay for them (or so they say) ...who pays for the upkeep...taxpapers? And how many crimes will it deter? NONE they will simply see the cams and move to another location...Keep investing that money though, never know what it could've been used for that would've really done some good!
Posted by more $$$ wasted at 2:21 AM
Newnan is stupid.
Posted by newnanite at 1:09 AM
Being paid for without tax dollars!!! Being funded by "grant's" and seized drug money !!! Where does the money in the grant program come from ?
Where will the money it will take to maintain and replace the camera's come from.
Posted by roger at 12:41 AM
A quick question. Does Atlanta have tons and tons of crime? Yes. Have the cameras in Atlanta helped? NO. Criminals simply change the location of the crime.
Posted by Jim at 11:10 PM
These cameras will simply move crime places to neighborhoods that don't now need cameras. Busy intersections are not a problem.
Posted by turfkiller at 9:15 PM
informed, you are misinformed if you think this is about safety. this is about making more money...thats all anything is ever about on a gov't level. for the love of the money. cameras=small time arrests=money in pockets.federal drug forfeiture laws allow state and local law enforcement agencies to keep for their own use 80% of the cash, cars, and homes seized from drug suspects, thus granting law enforcement a direct monetary interest in the profitability of the drug market. give me a break if you think these cameras are gonna reel in any big fish. big fish don't swim in newnan. big brother is here to stay and he knows how to make money :/
Posted by matt at 8:47 PM
I guess grant money comes from the grant fairy.
Posted by Izzy at 8:41 PM
If the registered voter bothered to read the article you would notice the project is being paid for WITHOUT tax dollars. It's being funded by a grant and seized drug money. How is safety fluff? Makes sense to add items to protect safety while cost are down.......
Posted by Informed at 6:23 PM
How MORONIC to put this in the paper! Drug dealers arent blind just dumb to the fact they are silent killers. I mean does it look like slowed down the drug traffic the first time we got them.I think not!
Posted by MomMac at 6:23 PM
Be sure and put in the paper where the cameras are to be located like you did last time so the the drug dealers can move elsewhere.
Posted by Big Boy at 4:59 PM
Big Brother is Watching:(
Posted by JR at 3:00 PM
What can this do to help the economy? Spend! Spend! We citizens are tired of paying for fluff and stuff!!! Get IT!! Election day is coming!
Posted by Registered Voter at 1:02 PM
I don't have a problem with the cameras. If it helps catch a criminal in the act then so be it. If it catches a regular person pickin their noses then so be it.Now if they were pointing the cameras into private homes then I would have a problem.
Posted by ...... at 12:40 PM
Accepting the bid from the lowest bidder is not always the best approach. Would you want to be operated on by a doctor who had a low C average in medical school ? Nonetheless, glad NPD got their new toys.
Posted by On the Mark at 12:28 PM
And you folks are worried about Obama taking away your rights? What's next, a camera chip in your forehead?
Posted by Izzy at 10:33 AM
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Hey Anonymous
3/17/2010
Link To This Comment
If you are in a store they have a right to film you. If you are on a sidewalk they have a right to film you. If your on a public street somebody has a right to film you. If your in public in general the right to privacy is basically null and void.
Posted by ...... at 11:05 AM