Brooklyn Center Unveils City’s First Mobile Camera to Deter Crime
Brooklyn Center has a new tool that will soon provide another set of eyes to help the city’s patrol officers. The city unveiled its first mobile camera trailer at the Shingle Creek Crossing shopping center.
“It’s a good day for us. It really is,” said Brooklyn Center Police Chief Kellace McDaniel.
Business owners, apartment complexes and charity groups teamed up with the city to raise more than $50,000 to fund the technology. The Brooklyn Center Crime Prevention Association, which initiated the effort, spent the past year working on the project.
Crime data analysis at the end of last year showed particular high numbers of retail and vehicle thefts in and around Shingle Creek Crossing. Police say the camera has a 360-degree lens that will cover a wide area of the shopping center. It also will sync with other police databases and provide a live video feed to on-duty officers.
Mobile camera unit overlooks Shingle Creek Crossing parking lot.
McDaniel added that the camera unit won’t replace patrol officers in the area, but instead provide an additional resource.
“We’re doing everything that we can with officers, technology to make sure people in the community are safe. That’s the biggest thing,” said McDaniel.
The police chief said the camera unit will be deployed in a few weeks.
“It’s something the community will appreciate once it’s deployed,” he said.
Also See: Brooklyn Center Police Chief: ‘Our City Needs Help,’ Some Crimes at Record Highs
