Pine Bluff installing cameras, real-time crime center to reduce violence

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – The city of Pine Bluff is trying something new in order to keep people and businesses safe.

On Tuesday, police began installing permanent crime cameras at major intersections.

Authorities said the 27 cameras should be installed fully across the city within a week. Then an electrician will connect them all to a real-time crime center the Pine Bluff Police Department is setting up inside their department.

Each camera with installation costs $3,750. That’s just over $100,000 total with another $15,000 or $30,000 a year going toward cloud storage depending on how many cameras the city has active.

Police Chief Denise Richardson compared the crime solution to systems in Little Rock, Memphis and Jonesboro during a Pine Bluff Small Business Administration meeting Wednesday.

“What’s important about the cameras is that they are proactive,” Richardson said, “We can’t be everywhere. You can’t be everywhere, so it’s almost like having another 27 sets of eyes in the city,” Richardson said.

Police are considering which surveillance locations can best serve businesses and residents while covering the most traveled streets like the one DeMark Simmons works along.

“I (would) feel a lot safer if it was here. I mean just the other day we got robbed,” Simmons said. “It should make a difference. I mean if they can’t catch all the criminals out here, can’t put a face to them, what can they do?”

He hopes the cameras will provide evidence to speed up investigations and deter crime.

Police said the first four cameras were paid for with a grant and Richardson added that Pine Bluff’s mayor assisted in funding 23 others.

Richardson noted she would like to see each of the city’s 17 departments budget for an additional camera so they can expand coverage to 44 locations.

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