East Point police installing more gunshot-detecting surveillance cameras

EAST POINT, Ga. — Nearly 40 new high-tech surveillance cameras are up and running in the city of East Point and more could be added soon.

These cameras are designed to pick up sounds like gunshots or street racers.

For the most part, neighbors welcome the cameras that are designed to help police battle crime. Others told Channel 2′s Audrey Washington that they worry about privacy issues.

““It’ll help with police getting to that area sooner because a lot of people complain about how long it takes police to get the scene of a crime,” Margan Kates said.

“It’s good if it’s specifically targeted towards violent crime, but I have concerns that it might get kids who are truant and not really causing any harm to people or property,” Simeon Smith said.

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East Point Police Chief Shawn Buchanan said the goal of the cameras is to cut down on gun violence in the area. Buchanan also said the cameras can also track street racing.

“When a person shoots a firearm, those devices picks up the sound from the firearm and alerts the police and we can visually see what’s occurring before the officer gets there,” Buchanan said. “It just helps us and aids us in fighting crime and keeping our city safer.”

The cameras are sound sensitive and can detect screams or even shattered glass, like the sound of a car break-in.

Still, Smith fears too many cameras can be too intrusive.

“I definitely would have concerns that it would be used to target non violent, or kids loitering,” he said.

“There are cameras everywhere. You never know, there could be a camera watching us right now, so I think it could still help,” Kates said.

The police chief told Washington that the goal is not to observe people’s activities but rather to help stop crimes. He hopes to have even more cameras installed in the coming months.

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