SANTA FE, N.M. — After a spike in burglaries at public areas here, the Santa Fe City Council is seeking proposals from local security integrators to install 38 cameras at 19 crime hot spots around the city, reports The New Mexican.
The city has experienced an increase in crime in areas that have plenty of parked cars with few people around, such as trails, parks and business districts, reports KRQE.com. As a result, city staff presented three citywide surveillance program options to council members last month to help combat crime. City councilors selected the least expensive option, rejecting larger proposals to install up to 182 cameras.
Despite a recommendation from the city’s director of Information Technology and Telecommunications Division to hire companies already chosen through a state procurement process, council members unanimously voted to send the program out for bid. The council was also open to the prospect of adding more cameras to the pilot plan.
City officials stated that although the system will record everything going on in the area, there will not be someone watching residents 24/7. Instead, the cameras will be on a 30-day loop and the Sante Fe Police officer responsible for monitoring the video feed will review footage on an as-needed basis.
