Duluth Plans To Expand and Upgrade Public Camera Systems

Did you know that there are dozens of public cameras mounted on poles around the city of Duluth? Now the Duluth Police Department want to expand and upgrade the system,  police feel that more cameras will help combat crime even better. So far these cameras have helped robberies, assaults, property damage and even two homicides.

I am all for surveillance cameras, the police can't be in two places at once and if you are not doing anything wrong you don't need to bothered by them. I respect the right to privacy, but when you are out in public I think your safety takes priority and might deter some crimes from happening if they see the camera's first.

Duluth Police Lieutenant Mike Ceynowa told FOX21 " Anytime we’re able to take a witness statement and then able to show the event unfold through that witness statement, it adds credibility to that statement, it could help us establish a timeline for example."  The first cameras in Duluth were installed in 2011 and were placed around the waterfront area and canal park, now about 200 cameras are scattered around the city in high traffic areas.

The Duluth Police Department has applied for a grant to replace the original cameras with better resolution models which will have better quality with a lower cost.