PARLIER – The police department has been adding additional security cameras in the city to help with crime deterrence, proactive response capabilities and criminal identification.
Some of the newest cameras in Parlier include two outside the police department headquarters, one at the intersection of Manning Avenue and Mendocino Avenue and another at the intersection of Manning Avenue and Newmark Avenue. Sgt. Jesse Ruelas of the Parlier Police Department said the cameras help prevent criminal activity where they are placed in addition to other benefits.
“It’s basically a deterrent,” Ruelas said. “So (people) know there’s surveillance cameras in the area to let them know ‘hey, if you commit something, you’re going to get caught.’”
The city now has approximately 62 cameras placed throughout the city, primarily at intersections and the entrance and exit points of other public spaces, including parks and the cemetery.
“We have to be careful with the cameras, because we have to place them in a public place where there’s no expectation of privacy,” Ruelas said.
The police department will continue to add more cameras throughout Parlier as the budget allows and the city grows.
The funding for the cameras comes from grants the police department is able to get, usually from the Department of Homeland Security, Ruelas said. Some of the cameras they have include four lenses so they can get a complete view of the area.
None of the cameras are concealed, and signs warning of 24 hour video surveillance are included in the areas the cameras are placed.
In addition to deterring crime and identifying suspects involved in criminal activity, the cameras can help with traffic monitoring. Ruelas said if they have officers at the headquarters writing reports or doing other work and they know something is going on, they can look at an intersection from the department.
“Before we react to any calls for service we can actually be proactive and go out there and stop it before it turns into something we have to take law enforcement action on,” Ruelas said.
