Roscoe Village Eyes More Cameras Around The Neighborhood
CHICAGO (CBS) -- You may have seen cameras perched in Roscoe Village. They're part of a surveillance network protecting businesses and customers.
They've already provided important clues to police, so now the program is expanding.
CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez explains what's next for the program.
You may remember the CBS 2 story regarding when the first camera went up in front of Commonwealth Tavern and captured images of a pair of robbers.
Now the Roscoe Village Neighbors Association wants to expand the program and share this surveillance with police.
Two men who had just attempted to rob a local restaurant were captured on camera twice in early July.
They succeeded in robbing patrons at a second Roscoe Village bar.
Residents think neighborhood cameras can help Chicago police and hopefully serve as a deterrent to more crime.
"CPD is lacking resources. They're lacking in staffing, so there's a lot of frustration to go around," said David Kerber of Roscoe Village Neighbors.
The group said the first $40,000 raised by the Roscoe Village Neighbors Association will go towards 27 new cameras.
"It's been a very discouraging trend and we just felt that safety is one of the highest priority for the people that work as well as the businesses in Roscoe Village," said Kerber.
Not all business owners are totally sold.
"I don't want to live in a society, I don't want my kids growing up in a society, where cameras are watching every move," said business owner Trudy Robinson.
But the Roscoe Village Neighbors Association is moving forward and plans to put all of the video on the cloud where police can access it easily.
