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“This is the most hi-tech thing we have in the room,” said Louis Lau, city director for Information Technology, of the 3D monitor.

Leighton was joined by U.S. Congressman Paul E. Kanjorski, D-Nanticoke, state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, D-Wilkes-Barre, and state police commissioner, Colonel Frank E. Pawlowski, on Monday.

Pawlowski said he was impressed by the state-of-the-art security system and its clear images of license plates.

Pawlowski said as a parent, cameras at playgrounds should be considered a safe-guard.

“There are cameras in every one of our parks that allows us to make sure children can enjoy the park during the day, and protect it at night from vandalism,” Leighton said.

The camera system is funded by $2 million in gaming fund grants that the city turned over to Hawkeye Security Solutions, a non-profit group that was formed to implement the surveillance system. Legion Security Services, of Wilkes-Barre, was hired by Hawkeye to monitor the surveillance cameras 24 hours a day, seven days a week at a cost of $232,000 per year.

Leighton said the city will continue to seek additional funding, with assistance from Luzerne County, Wilkes-Barre Parking Authority and the Wilkes-Barre Area School District, to operate the command center.

“There will be cameras that will be move able,” Leighton said. “If we know of a known drug house or known drug area where drug deals are taking place, we could put a portable camera there and no one would know.”

Leighton said the surveillance system was put in place not to violate privacy rights of residents, but as a crime fighting tool. He said the surveillance system does not take away beat cops.

“We’re only interested in preventing crime from happening, we’re not interested in invading anyone’s privacy, this is strictly watching for criminal activity,” Leighton said.