HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Following numerous vandalism reports in the city's parks, cameras will be installed in the areas where infrastructure is close enough to allow for it, starting with Orchard Park.
Todd Davis. Director Of Information Technologies presented to the council at their meeting Tuesday.
"We're looking at like a multiple camera approach," said Davis. "Cameras need power all the time. We'll be able to refocus depending on any kind of a trouble spot later. We'll be able to see this incoming road, see people as they are leaving this section, be able to determine, if there was damage, what kind of a vehicle that was. We'll be able to keep kind of eyes on the playground area and also the restroom area."
Mayor Jade Piros de Carvalho expressed some misgivings about the idea of the cameras being on during the day when children would be there to play, but understood that vandalism happens all the time.
"If I was here in the park and I was watching my children play, I'd actually feel safer," Davis said. "I would know that somebody's watching, so if I turn my head and my child disappears, I can see what happened."
The money for the cameras has been retained in Davis' existing budget, so it's not an additional expense for the city. In the photo with this story, the red camera is higher resolution and can move to any of the points of view within its triangles. The yellow cameras are wider and lower resolution shots. Also, wifi available to the public will be installed, as well.
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