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Mount Pleasant has had dozens of surveillance cameras in its high-crime commercial areas for two years. However, this is the first time they’ll be monitoring residential streets.

The Cleveland City Council member for Mount Pleasant, Zach Reed, said he secured funding for seven new surveillance cameras because the cameras focused on commercial areas have been so effective.

“They’re clearly a deterrent,” Reed told GovPro.com. “I can tell you, if you went to East 131st and Melzer Avenue – the location of our Boys and Girls Club – you had individuals who would stand there, loiter and do bad things morning, noon and night in that particular area. Now, with the cameras mounted on the hardware store nearby, you see little or no criminal activity there at any time of day.”

Since surveillance cameras were installed in 2006, Mount Pleasant has seen crime drop by between 65 and 75 percent, according to Reed.

“Now that we are putting the cameras in the residential area, we are hoping for a further reduction in the rate of crime,” Reed said.  

For cash-strapped cities seeking to purchase surveillance cameras, Reed suggested checking with foundations, community organizations and federal and state agencies for grants.

“There’s a combination of public and private funding that can be secured to provide this safety and security – no doubt about it,” Reed said.

For information on surveillance cameras and other security products, visit the Emergency Response product center onGovPro.com.

In addition, check out the directory of associate members at the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association’s Web site. Some of the members listed sell, install or distribute security cameras and related systems.