County Prosecutor Seeks Private Surveillance Cameras to Assist Law Enforcement

The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s office has registered some 700 surveillance cameras – including RTA, hospital and private businesses – in its effort to collect evidence in criminal cases.  Ohio City is part of the camera mapping project and another westside neighborhood is joining too.

In a quality of life survey of residents in the Detroit Shoreway neighborhood, 68% said safety was their number one priority.  So the community raised thousands of public and private dollars in order to install security cameras throughout the area.  Councilman Matt Zone says new cameras – like those already lining Detroit Avenue – will shoot only in public rights of way.

"None of them are shooting into anyone’s front room, living room.  We’re not intruding into anyone’s privacy rights.  Let’s make that very clear," Zone says.  "And the cameras that are going up that are privately held and controlled, there are rules and there are regulations on where you can and where you can’t shoot."

The prosecutor’s office says surveillance cameras have made it easier for law enforcement to zoom in on evidence in criminal cases.