The city has finished installing 12 cameras along the downtown Columbus Riverwalk, bringing the $18,000 first phase to an end.
Columbus Police Chief Joseph St. John said he envisions two more phases in the future, adding more cameras to cover more of the walking path.
“For all practical purposes, we”re up and running,” he said.
In future phases, more cameras will be installed, possibly by contractor Nighthawk Security again, along with other safety equipment like emergency telephones, St. John said before the first phase was begun.
The cameras, which are meant to deter crime, were received with mixed feelings by some people who frequent the Riverwalk.
As she jogged along the path today, Mississippi University for Women professor Al Holen said she wasn”t too concerned about safety.
“I guess I don”t really think about it,” she said. “I worry three miles down the path, but I usually carry mace with me.”
The cameras weren”t as bad an eyesore as the “obnoxious” signs warning about the cameras that peppered the area, she said.
“But they”re doing this on a budget,” she added. “I understand because I”m on a budget too.”
Others, like Columbus resident Pete Bonner, said they were glad to have the cameras and the signs don”t bother them.
“Lot of mischief going on, so I guess it”s safer,” he said of the cameras. “Better than nothing. The signs don”t really jump out at me.”
St. John said he thought the signs and cameras were necessary and were done tastefully, although he could understand how some people saw things differently.
“I think that”s a personal preference,” St. John continued. “I”m happy with what we allowed them to do.”
While the cameras, which were installed last year, have been attacked by some and lauded by others, they have caused a headache for the city in other ways.
Although he was “very happy” with the cameras, St. John said they took longer than expected to install because of several problems with the system.
“There have been some glitches,” he said. “It”s been more intense than I thought it would be.”
The problems required calling in other companies to do some work, although the extra cost was minimal, if any, he said.
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