News

March 20, 2008

Camera system deadline April 2

The $2.5 million, 500-unit surveillance system to be installed throughout W-B.

By Jerry Lynott jlynott@timesleader.com
Business Writer
Jerry Lynott on Facebook   |   @TLJerryLynott on Twitter

WILKES-BARRE – The deadline for companies to submit proposals for the setup and maintenance of the city’s 500-camera surveillance system has been extended to April 2.

The extension added two weeks to the initial cutoff date of March 19 set by Wire Free Wilkes-Barre, the non-profit joint venture between the city, Luzerne County, Wilkes University and King’s College.

Attempts Wednesday to reach Louis Lau, vice president of Wire Free Wilkes-Barre, were unsuccessful.

Wire Free Wilkes-Barre estimated the system would cost $2.5 million to construct.

The system would be built upon the wireless Internet network already in place and the cameras would be located in all city parks, around city schools, and close enough to view creeks and streams, the Susquehanna River and the River Commons.

Last week the project received almost half of that amount when it was awarded a $1 million share of the $11.56 million in gambling revenue from Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs casino. State law requires a portion of the gross revenue from the casino’s slot machines to be dedicated for economic and community development and public health and safety projects in the county.

The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, which administers the local share of the gambling revenue to municipalities, chose the camera project as one of 17 to share in the revenue to be awarded annually as long as the casino is in business.

The city sought funding for the camera project that it said will enhance public safety and deter crime. The camera feeds will be displayed on monitors in the command center located in police headquarters.

The city has eight cameras in place along North Washington Street and the intermodal site under construction off Public Square. Those cameras will become part of the larger system and feed into the command center.

If the citywide camera-surveillance system gets built, it will be one of four to be studied by the Urban Institute of Washington, D.C., under a U.S. Department of Justice grant. The other cities included in the study are Baltimore, Chicago and Hyattsville, Md.

Jerry Lynott, a Times Leader staff writer, can be contacted at 570-829-7237.

Tweet	Follow @TLnews