VICKSBURG, Miss. (AP) — Six properties operated by the Vicksburg Housing Authority are getting video cameras to help offset rising security concerns.
VHA Executive Director Ben Washington said the housing authority will spread the 100 cameras among its properties at Beechwood Estates, Cedars Estates, Urban Court, Valley Court, Waltersville Estates and Rolling Acres in the city, The Vicksburg Post reported.
“Those new cameras are programmable, have facial recognition, identity, search for a car — search by color,” Washington said. “The cameras will be monitored at the VHA offices, the city will have access; we’re going to get the police department log-in access so they can monitor those cameras 24/7.”
In October, Washington signed a joint agreement with the city to mount the cameras on Entergy utility poles.
VHA, he said, is covering all costs.
The new cameras come after a rash of shootings at VHA properties in summer 2021.
“I don’t know; for one month it just seemed like there was something going on back and forth,” he said. “It was like every other day people were calling that ‘someone’s riding through here,’ or ‘some shooting’s going on.’ I don’t know if it was retaliation or back and forth with people but it kind of ended and went away.”
He said there haven’t been a lot of problems since.
“We’re looking forward to getting these new cameras installed and they’re really high tech and expect a cut down in crime; we’re looking forward to using them,” Washington said.
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