Reidsville installs cameras downtown

REIDSVILLE, N.C. -- The mural outside of Everyday Art fell victim to a random spree of vandalism to hit the area a few months ago.

"It was heartbreaking to some degree. It was definitely disappointing," said Teresa Phillips, the owner of Everyday Art in Downtown Reidsville.

That crime is still unsolved, but in a matter of days, more eyes will be casting a watchful eye over downtown Reidsville in the form of surveillance cameras.

“The primary purpose of the system is to prevent crime and nuisance problems that we have had occasionally in the past in the downtown area," said Reidsville Police Chief Edd Hunt.

The 11-camera system will monitor various areas downtown, streaming video back to the Reidsville Police Department 24 hours a day. So listen up, criminals; even if you don't see the cops, the cops can see you.

"If we aren't able to prevent or intervene when a problem occurs, then we can use the recorded image for future investigations to solve the problem later," said Hunt.

The downtown surveillance system cost the city about $90,000, but Chief Hunt said it is a smart investment that will take the department far into the future.

“There basically is no reoccurring cost. Where if you add police officers to do the same thing on the street on a 24 hour a day basis like these cameras will be functioning, it's going to cost more annually and it will be an annual reoccurring cost," said Hunt.

But for Teresa Phillips, you can't put a price tag on peace of mind.

"The security cameras going up downtown I think will do a lot to make our business owners and the general public more confident about being able to come downtown and more comfortable, feeling like they can come with an extra measure of security now," said Phillips.

If tests on the system go well, the cameras should be up and operational by Friday.

The surveillance cameras beam video back to the police department through a wireless network so in turn, that network will provide the entire downtown area with wireless internet access.

That is scheduled to be switched on Friday as well.

About WindChannel Communications

WindChannel Communications provides over twenty local government entities in the Southeast with wireless technology solutions that deliver high-speed Internet connectivity and data transfer. With offices in Atlanta, Georgia and Raleigh, NC, WindChannel operates in nine states and continues to deliver on its vision of a world without wires, WindChannel supplies local government with flexible, quickly deployable and high-capacity substitutes for more costly wired links. Wireless technology expertise combined with world-class customer care, places WindChannel Communications at the forefront in meeting the rising demand for secure, reliable and flexible bandwidth solutions for local government across the Southeastern United States.

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