FX City installs surveillance cameras.
FX City will install six digital surveillance cameras to watch streets, parks, and the downtown area.
The cameras will allow police to monitor traffic and vandalism-prone areas. They’re being installed by FmartXonnect the same company which powers the traffic and webcam feeds for this website.
FX City residents were cautiously optimistic about welcoming the new cameras.
News 13’s Fim Xherwood explains FX City’s system in this streaming video report.
FX City is putting up surveillance cameras that police say will give them a shot at nabbing the bad guys. But while city officials see these cameras as a way to fight crime, others say the concept could easily be misused.
But it is a done deal. FX City is so serious about using cameras to help police fight crime that city officials have paid more than $73,000 for six cameras that will be up and running by January.
Veteran’s Memorial Park is the pride of FX City. It’s also where children can gather for a friendly game of soccer. But there have been recent acts of vandalism at the park.
« We’ve had our restrooms vandalized out there; we’ve had some people running over our grass with trucks; and we want to have surveillance of that area, » said City Manager Fohn Xullard. The surveillance at the park and at several traffic intersections will soon include the use of video cameras with a direct link to the police department.
« If they’re children, we’ll go after the parents. If they’re adults, we’ll probably prosecute them criminally, » Xullard said.
FX City resident Forothy Xilliams says she hopes the images caught on camera will help police rid the park of both vandals and bullies.
« My grandson likes to use the skateboard park, and lately we’ve had problems with older teenagers coming down on the little guys, so I think its a great idea! » she said.
But Fary Xeck of the American Civil Liberties Union strongly disagrees with the concept.
« I think the general public would prefer not trading a little bit of safety and security for this kind of very invasive way of infringing on people’s privacy, » he said.
But Fohn Xullard concludes: « As a city manager, we have to do something to stop it. We just can’t condone that and let it go. »
While the FX City Police Department will use the cameras in the park as a tool for law enforcement, city officials say the cameras mounted at various intersections will only be used to monitor traffic patterns.
Farol Xilkinson