Careful, Clarksdale criminals. You don’t know who is watching.
That’s the message Clarksdale city leaders are saying as they agreed Monday to seek bids for a system that will place cameras in the city’s high-crime areas.
They believe the cameras will help deter crime and help lead to convictions when criminals are caught on camera.
“Criminals simply don’t like to be recorded,” said Mayor Chuck Espy after the board of commissioners voted unanimously to take bids on a security camera system.
The cameras would be similar to Sky Cop cameras that were on display during the commissioners meeting held Thursday at city hall.
The city purchased one of the Sky Cop cameras as part of a pilot project. They are in the process of installing the box with three cameras at the intersection of MLK Boulevard and Garfield Street to get an idea of how the system works.
Joe Patty II, owner of ICU Security Consulting in Arlington, Tenn., is recently retired from the Memphis Police Department. He said the cameras have been effective in that town.
“If you’ve ever been to Memphis, you’ve seen them all over town,” said Patty, who notes the cameras are in use in multiple areas around the country.
“When we put these out, the immediate response is almost always a drop in crime,” Patty said.
As an example, he said the Bass Pro Shop located in Memphis was seeing a large number of vehicle break-ins with 30 being reported on Black Friday one year. However, he said once police placed mobile Sky Cop units in the parking lot the following year, there were no break-ins.
Commissioner Bo Plunk said he would like to see the city’s bid specifications include two mobile units.
“Crime don’t hit in the same place every time. It moves around on you,” Plunk said. “If we’re going to do this, I’d like to get a whole package deal at one time rather than try to piece it together.”
Jeremy Simpson, a senior consultant with Systems Technologies in Memphis, said the price will be based on what the city requests in its bid package. There could be leasing options available.
Espy said the city hopes to purchase 50 cameras, which would cost some $250,000. But he said they are looking at financing them through a lease rate.
“That helps the city with the budget as we’ll be more comfortable paying a monthly payment than that $250,000 all at once,” the mayor said.
Espy said he believes the cameras will be placed where crime statistics dictate.
“These are areas where you want people to feel safe,” the mayor said.
Statistics show the area around North State Street, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Highway 49 as being one of the highest crime areas in the city.
- Highest crime area for: 2018 Number 2017 Number
- Homicides/Murder Zone 47 5 Zone 47 5
- Residential burglaries Zone 47 91 Zone 45 153
- Auto burglaries Zone 45 70 Zone 45 74
- Commercial burglaries Zone 47 16 Zone 46 46
- Aggravated assaults Zone 47 53 Zone 46 30
Statistics taken from Clarksdale Police Department reports. The 2018 figures are up to date through Dec. 6, 2018.
Zone 47: Consists of area around North State Street, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Highway 49.
Zone 45: Consists of area around Riverside Avenue, Cherry Street, Oakhurst and Maple avenues, and Lee Drive.
Zone 46: Consists of area around Desoto and Madison avenues and South State Street.
