Surveillance cameras will soon be up and running in Buckhead, according to the company setting up the new security network.
Bob Carter, general manager of the Decatur office of the Texas-based security technology firm Iron Sky, said the firm is “within a few weeks” of the final installation of 17 surveillance cameras that will soon monitor the streets of Buckhead.
The cameras are part of Operation Shield, a plan by the Buckhead Community Improvement District to place the surveillance camera network around Peachtree Road in Buckhead, according to maps provided by the Buckhead CID.
But the cameras have not come as quickly as promised. There have been interruptions in the installation due to the holidays, but other complications have also contributed to the delay, Carter said. The authorizations necessary to install the rooftop cameras are holding up the project, Carter said.
“We’re trying to get some things done faster than they’re going, but our hands have been pretty much tied,” said Carter.
The cameras, including 14 pan-and-zoom cameras and three fixed-position cameras, are being installed on rooftops around the area.
“The primary holdup we’ve been experiencing at this time is that we’ve had to work through some details with the companies who own the roofs where we’re trying to install cameras,” said Carter. “Once we have the authorizations, you’ll start to see cameras on poles.”
The cost of the cameras is $140,000 from the Buckhead CID, which includes hardware and software installation and a one-year service agreement. The Atlanta Police Foundation will also pay $70,000 for the cameras, the Buckhead CID reported.
The camera network will be operated by the Atlanta police, and it will feed into the city of Atlanta’s Video Integration Center.
Buckhead CID project manager Tony Peters said the feedback he’s getting on the plan is mostly positive.
“Once implemented, this will be another tool in the fight against and deterrence of crime in Buckhead,” Peters said.
Carter also said the cameras will be a big asset to the Atlanta police. Iron Sky’s equipment is already being used effectively in a many parts of the metro area, including Sandy Springs and Midtown, according to Carter.
“Sandy Springs just added a system where police precincts can tap directly into the onboard computers in police cars,” Carter said. “The system makes it safer for police officers, in case their radios malfunction or they are in danger.”
Carter said he thinks Buckhead will use the system just as effectively. He also remains very positive about the project’s delay, saying that the necessary authorizations will be received “very soon.”
“We have a self-imposed deadline of July 15th, but we expect the cameras will be installed before that,” Carter said.