Security camera installation near the Dietz Street Loft building may be a part of the City of Oneonta’s 2025 budget allocations.
At The Common Council’s Quality of Life and Infrastructure Committee meeting on Wednesday, May 29, Oneonta Chief of Police Chistopher Witzenberg said that security cameras in the parking lot behind the Dietz Street Loft building could help the police department solve crimes and maybe even stop them before they occur. This suggestion was a part of a wider discussion regarding the 2025 city budget.
“Prior to the camera installations on Main Street we were sometimes having upwards of four windows broken on businesses on a weekend,” Witzenberg said. “Since the installation of cameras, we have not. I think as a deterrent, as an investigative measure I think that they are a valuable undertaking.”
Witzenberg said he would like to have the rear portion of the Dietz Street Lot, the building itself, as well as the Dietz Street parking lot by the YMCA and all the entrance and egress points within reach of the cameras.
“The city administrator walked with me in that area, and I think the entire area could be covered with between four and six cameras,” Witzenberg said.
As for pricing, Public Works Director Christopher Yacobucci said that the security camera project in Neahwa Park cost about $50,000. That included four 270-degree cameras and one 180-degree straight-view camera as well as the technology required to direct footage back to the police department.
Witzenberg said that a possible way to have more access to security footage is through private owners who could allow the police department to access their personal security cameras. This program has not started, but Witzenberg says the potential is there.
“As an option, those people, if they wanted to put a camera in and loop it back to us, we would be able to see that also,” Witzenberg said.
Witzenberg also said that cameras being installed on Market Street will potentially be doubling the number of cameras currently utilized by the police department. Council member Scott Harrington, R-Sixth Ward, also noted that there are three cameras being placed in Neahwa park. He stated his concern regarding police accessibility at larger events on the park grounds. He said he feels a broadcasting system in Neahwa park should be considered for the city’s budget.
“There’s no good way of trying to reconnect a lost child with their parent,” Harrington said. “Fourth of July is a big one I can think of.”
Council member Cecelia Walsh-Russo, unaffiliated-Second Ward, agreed that this conversation was important and necessary to consider as the city moves forward with budget planning.
“As a committee we could say we recommend for purposes of public safety and after discussion with the Chief of Police, an ongoing discussion about the use of security cameras and surveillance more generally and that this is a priority for our committee,” said Walsh-Russo.