Huntington Beach to monitor downtown with surveillance cameras

In an effort to reduce crime, the city of Huntington Beach will soon record visitors in the downtown area.

The City Council recently voted to allow police to purchase and install a surveillance system, according to a report in the Huntington Beach Independent.

The action made by council members would allow the police department to reallocate $150,000 from within its budget to pay for and install these cameras.

“This is a public safety action that is necessary,” Councilman Joe Shaw said. “I don’t think it’s intrusive. These are public areas. I believe we’ll really be able to crack down on some of the crime that’s going on downtown.”

Councilman Matt Harper disagreed with his colleague and said he’s “concerned about the expansion of local government into our daily lives.”

Surveillance cameras in downtown were first brought to the dais during the Feb. 4 meeting when Shaw and Councilman Joe Carchio brought it to the table.

During a June study session, Police Chief Ken Small presented a proposal to council members about video cameras and said they were a “very useful tool for law enforcement.”

Carchio said they are only looking to install cameras in problem areas, such as the bike racks underneath the pier and alleys near Main Street and Walnut Avenue.

Capt. Russell Reinhart said since the department is understaffed this year, it will be “taking savings from personnel costs and moving that to operations so we can purchase this camera system.”

“We’re not cancelling anything or some other program,” he said. “We’ve had savings since we were understaffed.”

About five cameras will be placed around downtown with signs below them telling visitors that the area is under surveillance, Reinhart said.

“It’s not required, but we want to do that,” he said. “What we want to do is prevent crime. And if it doesn’t prevent crime, the secondary benefit is it will help solve crimes.”

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anthonyclark.carpio@latimes.com

Carpio writes for Times Community News.