Not everyone is on board with Starkville’s proposed security camera ordinance for businesses.
Businessman George Sherman, one of the owners of College Park Shopping Center, told the Starkville Board of Aldermen Tuesday that he and his fellow owners are concerned about the scope and costs of the proposal.
Sherman spoke during the first of two public hearings on the ordinance. Mayor Lynn Spruill introduced the proposal last month. It would require businesses and retail centers that are 5,000 square feet and larger or have 25 or more parking spaces to have cameras in parking lots, entries and exit areas. Businesses that sell liquor and hemp are also covered in the ordinance.
Following the second hearing in two weeks, the board will vote on the ordinance.
Sherman told the board that in the 40 years the shopping center has been in business, it has never had a serious crime issue.
He said he had concerns about the cost factor, citing a quote that it would cost anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000 to install cameras at College Park, as well as additional costs for maintaining recordings. He also said he was worried about infringement of privacy.
“Just kind of seems like a bit of an overreach by government to mandate this,” he said. “We understand the safety of it and what it’s intended to do.”
After the meeting, Sherman told The Dispatch that “there is no doubt that it is a great thing to have cameras to protect us and to go back and help solve crime (and) as a deterrent. It’s a great tool.”
However, he said that forcing businesses to install cameras is an unnecessary financial burden.
Sherman suggested the city install additional cameras on surrounding streets to help share the burden.
He also hypothesized about where the requests would end.
“If you’re going to include the commercial businesses, you need to include the apartment complexes,” he said. “And then what’s next? Homes? Every neighborhood is going to have cameras?”
Cameras don’t lie
Police Chief Mark Ballard said surveillance cameras have been effective in solving crimes around businesses, describing them as “essential.”
“A lot of people don’t necessarily come forward with information with the police,” he said. “…Cameras don’t lie. Cameras show who was there. Cameras show who was not there. Cameras show signatures on cars that are extremely important to make sure we do have the right individual.”
He said last year, surveillance cameras were key in identifying three suspects sought in connection to a robbery in the Kroger parking lot. He said cameras had been “instrumental” in almost every felony investigation SPD has had.
He also said that, with respect to College Park Shopping Center, police have identified a fleeing burglar and stalkers in parking lots at the center.
Support and conflict
Ward 6 Alderman and Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins told the board he intends to vote in favor of the ordinance.
He said he supported the intended goal of the ordinance — full safety of all residents of Starkville.
“We want to ensure that we provide and afford a safe environment for everyone,” he said. “Insufficient security, as this ordinance states, is not a ways and means of providing ample protection.”
Ward 5 Alderman Hamp Beatty told The Dispatch following the meeting that he sees both sides of the debate, describing his position as “conflicted,” but still wanted more information before making a decision.
“If it helped save the life of a person or solve a crime or something like that, no amount of money was too much to spend to have something like that,” he said. He also understands the perspective of Sherman, who is facing higher business expenses.
“I see the merits of it,” he said.
Kevin Edwards is news editor and reports on Starkville and Oktibbeha County government.
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