INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Teenagers, described as unsupervised, were roaming the Central Canal on weekends in downtown Indianapolis, so a camera was installed about three weeks ago at the request of the neighborhood association.
In the past week, two people shot and killed along the canal. A 24-year-old woman was shot early Sunday morning, and a 14-year-old boy was shot and killed when police say he tried to rob someone on the canal. This mobile surveillance camera was in place for both of those incidents.
Some residents of the area have not experienced problems along the popular walkway.
“Well, I’m here in the daytime. It is usually never an issue, you know. I’m never here towards dawn or anything like that it is always safe when I have been walking here” said downtown resident Rod McCarty
The canal is a gathering spot for all people, during the day the area families and people out for some exercise frequent the walkway.
Having an eye in the sky connected to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department may offer some reassurance of safety.
“I think it is a great idea for safety, you know, people walking in the parks late at night or just in general with your family,” said Debbie Majoros.
Indianapolis police have been using mobile surveillance cameras for more than a decade. Now, the police department has two mobile cameras that are placed in areas based on crime trends. Neighborhoods can request one by contacting their police district’s community resource unit.
McCarty said, “Actually, I never even noticed it until they put this one up that there weren’t some surveillance cameras around.”
Typically, the department places the cameras in high crime areas or at big events in the downtown area such as the NCAA tournaments or the Super Bowl in 2012.
But has it helped deter crime at the canal?
Heidi Neuberger said, “I think to some degree it may be a deterrent, we hope. It is not going to solve any problems.”
The mobile surveillance cameras will eventually be replaced by a permanent system linked to IMPD.
Neuberger said, “Our community here is going to be part of the Beeline camera surveillance, and they will be mounting cameras on some of these houses down here showing both north and south, but they will be monitored by IMPD.”
