TOLEDO (WTOL) - Three of Toledo Police’s five mobile real time crime center cameras need pricey refurbishments.
You may have seen one of these mobile cameras at an event or monitoring your neighborhood.
They allow police to watch people’s movements in real time from their criminal intelligence center.
Often, citizens will request a mobile camera in their neighborhood to help with a specific crime issue. Yet, three of the cameras were bought back in 2012 and are out of service due to their outdated conditions.
TPD is asking city council for money to refurbish one of the cameras.
Detectives say these cameras are helpful in tracking and deterring crime.
"It’s multifaceted, right? So you have certainly, like, the deterrent effect. Most people aren’t going to break into a car when they see a police camera nearby or commit a crime, but sometimes folks won’t notice the camera or won’t care, and then we’ll be able to capture evidence,” said Lt. Kevan Toney, spokesperson for the department.
Refurbishment would replace the camera’s crucial components and software, costing taxpayers $17,528. This would from the city’s general fund.
Toledo Police hope they can eventually refurbish all three older cameras to keep up with citizen demand and crime patrol.