Lawrence rolling out city-wide police camera system

LAWRENCE, Mass. — Dispatch at Lawrence Police has a new tool. 110 new tools to be exact.

On Monday, Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera announced a network of city-wide crime cameras.

"This is just another step in modernizing crime fighting in the city of Lawrence," said Rivera.

Police Chief Roy Vasque said the city rolled out the cameras in phases beginning in February. They say the cameras are placed strategically throughout the city to monitor high-crime areas.

"They might say, well, mayor, why are you telling people where the cameras are? Well, hopefully, that's a deterrent in itself," said Rivera.

Rivera says they're working.

They are using the cameras to reconstruct hit-and-run accidents, bank robberies and just Monday morning, they say the camera on Florence Street captured illegal dumping.

Some cameras are marked with signs and others are not, but the city says their goal is to operate the program with transparency.

"This is not big brother looking into your bedroom or into your living room. This is really about fighting crime in the most basic places," said Rivera.

The city says they plan to roll out an additional 35 cameras this summer or early fall. The program costs about $300,000.

Cox Media Group