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NYPD gives the green light to Southwest Brooklyn security cameras

June 4, 2013 Denise Romano

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Electronic eyes will soon be looking over Southwest Brooklyn.

The NYPD has approved three security camera locations in Bay Ridge and nine across Bensonhurst, Gravesend and Coney Island.

Bay Ridge residents have been calling for the installation of the ARGUS cameras, which can provide surveillance within a five-block radius, after a perceived uptick in drug-related activity in upper Bay Ridge, near Fifth Avenue. The Ridge locations will be on Fifth Avenue at the intersections of 72^ndth and 82^nd Streets.

The others will be along 86^th Street at the intersections of 20^th Avenue, Bay Parkway, 23^rd Avenue and 25^th Avenue; at McDonald Avenue and Kings Highway; Stillwell Avenue and Benson Avenue; Mermaid Avenue and West 24^th Street; Avenue W and West 11^th Street; and Neptune Avenue and West 8^th Street.

These state-of-the-art cameras will significantly enhance the crime-fighting efforts on our streets, said Councilmember Vincent Gentile of the Fifth Avenue installations. I am pleased that the NYPD is moving forward and by approving the installation at these sites, I am hoping that the cameras I funded in the budget a year ago will soon be a reality.

Gentile allocated $100,000 in last years city budget for the cameras on Fifth Avenue. State Senator Marty Golden also called for the cameras.

There is no disputing that surveillance cameras are extremely important in this day and age and have completely revolutionized the way crimes are solved, so this site approval by the NYPD is a big step towards making our streets safer, Gentile said.

Councilmember Domenic Recchia allocated $400,000 from his discretionary budget for the cameras in his district.

These cameras will provide much-needed surveillance capabilities to areas of my district in need of heightened security, he said. The NYPD needs to make use of every tool at its disposal to fight crime and keep our communities safe. This technology is an important resource to help New Yorks finest do their job as best as possible.

The cameras will be installed as part of an ongoing citywide roll-out of 640 cameras over the next three years.