GARY, Ind. – Businesses here operating between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. will be required to have three high-resolution surveillance cameras recording public access areas following passage this week of an ordinance by the City Council.
Businesses have a three-month grace period until the ordinance is enforced and failure to comply after that could result in fines up to $2,500 and revocation of its business license, nwitimes.com reports.
Gary Police Cmdr. Kerry Rice told nwitimes.com Police Department reports show that in 2013 more than 60% of reported crimes and 80% of shootings at gas stations and convenience stores in the city occurred between the late evening to early morning hours.
Rice recalled a period last year when three shootings happened in one week at gas stations along 15th Avenue.
“None of those businesses had any security cameras outside of the business,” Rice told nwitimes.com
Rice said there was a fatal shooting in the Miller neighborhood at a gas station that did have outdoor security cameras that recorded the crime resulting in an arrest.
All businesses will be required to comply with the ordinance including daycare facilities if they operate between the designated hours, nwitimes.com reports.
According to the ordinance, the cameras must produce reproducible digital color images from a DVR that is approved by the Police Department. Businesses must also post a conspicuous sign stating that the property is under camera surveillance. Each camera must display a date and time stamp on each image and produce retrievable images suitable for permanent police records.
The camera system must also be able to store and retrieve 30 days of recorded material.
