Projo 7 to 7 News Blog

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The city is installing six motion-sensor cameras at city parks in an attempt to ward off vandals as part of Mayor David N. Cicilline's ongoing effort to cut down graffiti.

The cameras, costing about $6,000 each, will be installed atop light poles in parks. Cicilline and city officials showed off one recently installed at Iola French Park (formerly Veazie Street Park).

"Graffiti is a quality of life crime that is a direct assault on the neighborhoods of our city," said Cicilline.

The cameras are solar powered; when tripped, they snap a series of up to four photos and send out a loud, pre-recorded warning notifying intruders that their photo has been taken and they will be prosecuted.

Photos will be downloaded wirelessly to a laptop computer that will be monitored by the city Parks Department and forwarded to the Police Department's Graffiti Task Force.

Cameras will also be set up in Waterplace, Prospect, Neutaconkanut, and Gano Street parks.

 Tags  Cicilline Providence RI

Comments

Jo-EE said:

Big Brother says he's fighting grafitti. Right.

Link | June 17, 2009 1:07 PM
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Gumbercules said:

I'm confused by how this would actually be implemented effectively.
I assume the cameras will only be activated once the park is closed, but what of people passing through at night? If it's a motion sensor, could animals set off the cameras? The cameras will capture pictures, but what's to stop the vandals from wearing a hooded sweatshirt, or some other means of obscuring the image? The speaker will be a deterrant, but is this going to create a problem for nearby residents?

Link | June 17, 2009 1:25 PM
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