SALAMANCA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Security cameras are coming to Salamanca, but not just a few. The city is spending $600,000 to have them installed in several places.
Police Chief Jamie Deck: “They are high definition and AI included.”
Q: “You said those cameras come with AI, how does that work to help you guys?”
Deck: “If we do have a person of interest that committed a more violent crime, and we have a picture. We can put that in the system, and if he/she walks in front of any the cameras it picks them up, so we can follow them through the city.”
Last summer, we spoke to several Salamanca parents, concerned that drug activity had taken over their neighborhoods.
<Old Story> https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/southern-tier/hopefully-we-can-make-a-difference-moms-in-salamanca-putting-a-spotlight-on-drug-abuse'Hopefully, we can make a difference': Moms in Salamanca putting a spotlight on drug abuse >
Mayor Sandra Magiera tells me these are the city’s response to that cry for help.
For the past year, 16 of the Verkada, Inc. cameras have been up, all of them lining the Pennsy Trail in the middle of the city. To Magiera, this was a very successful trial.
“I think the first day [we had the cameras, we made] 4 arrests,” Magiera said.
As for any privacy concerns, the mayor tells me she doesn't see that as a problem.
“We’re not there to focus on their homes, we just want street activities,” Magiera said.
I wasn’t told how many more cameras are coming to the city, but I’m told they will be placed at all the highly traveled routes and intersections.
