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Panel considers park surveillance Nashville City Paper/Judith R. Tackett | February 2 2006 Public Works officials met with a Metro Parks board subcommittee Tuesday to discuss the use of surveillance cameras in the wake of public indecency and prostitution problems in public parks. The parks board is currently exploring the use of 12 to 16 cameras for parks that have seen a high number of arrests for public indecency and patronizing prostitution. Those parks currently include Hamilton Creek Park, Two Rivers Park, Cedar Hill Park and the Percy Priest Dam recreational areas. Public Works is using four different approaches in its surveillance of the 68 most permanent dumping sites in Davidson County. The methods include hand-held cameras, surveillance motion detectors, remote cameras and visible “dummy” cameras to discourage illegal dumping. David Himes with Public Works said over the last six months dumping has decreased by about 40 percent. “Forty percent doesn’t seem significant but when you spend $1 million a year cleaning up these sites it’s pretty significant,” Himes said. Metro police together with parks police conducted stings in several parks between Sept. 26 and Oct. 7 of last year, which resulted in the arrests of 92 people engaged in sexual activities illegal in public places. Following the arrests, Councilman Michael Craddock proposed a resolution requesting the Parks Board install cameras in certain parks with high arrest numbers. “Cedar Hill Park and Hamilton Creek Park are the two parks that get the highest complaints,” Metro Parks spokeswoman Jackie Jones said. A Metro citation for indecent exposure is $62.50. However, parks lieutenant George Mitchell said the park police usually write a state citation for $500. After the third offense an individual will be charged with a felony. The parks subcommittee requested that Metro Legal examine privacy issues before the full board votes on the use of surveillance cameras. |
