Legislative News Port Richey backs off of Boat Scamera for "enforcement". (Boating "violations").
Port Richey backs off of Boat Scamera for "enforcement". (Boating "violations").
PORT RICHEY — An effort by police to put surveillance cameras on one of Port Richey's busiest canals to curb illegal boating activity has hit the skids, with a City Council skeptical of costs and concerned about privacy.
Acting City Manager/Police Chief Dave Brown on Tuesday night said the police department wanted to place cameras within the Sand Pebble community, pointed toward the waterfront. He said residents had complained about speeding and other boating violations. Council member Steve O'Neill, who lives in Sand Pebble, agreed it's a problem.
"You only have to sit out there for more than an hour or two to see the same consistent violations," O'Neill said.
The police department planned to place two cameras atop buildings in San Pebble connected to a wireless receiver on the city hall tower. That would allow for 24-hour monitoring in high definition, according to city officials.
But a price tag of around $10,000 and concerns over how the cameras would be used caused the council to hold off for now.
Council member Bill Colombo wanted to wait for the budget season to discuss spending on cameras, and said he would rather put an officer in a patrol boat rather than rely on cameras.
O'Neill said they could provide security, while council member Terry Rowe asked whether any enforceable action could be taken by police based on video taken by the cameras.
Brown said City Attorney Joseph Poblick found problems could arise from enforcement using the cameras, so initially they would only be used as a tool to monitor activity.
"Right at the moment we are just looking for another set of eyes," Brown said.
But the thought of more "eyes" on the public didn't sit well with council member Nancy Britton.
"I don't like this at all. It's just another invasion of privacy, another government takeover,'' she said. "I'm over it."
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