Mayor Todd Gloria is shining a high-tech spotlight on crime and sidewalk safety in San Diego. The mayor has inked into law two new programs aimed at beefing up community security, reports the City of San Diego's official website.
The City Council has enthusiastically green-lit the mayor's proposal to literally light up the streets with 500 state-of-the-art Smart Streetlight cameras, aggressively paired with Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology. Gloria's signature has now empowered the San Diego Police Department to enter a five-year deal with tech firm Ubicquia, Inc., potentially altering the cityscape with these advanced surveillance tools.
According to the City of San Diego's official announcement, the integration of video and ALPR data collection aims to help SDPD more efficiently and effectively solve violent crimes and hunt down lawbreakers. "The No. 1 job of city government is to ensure residents are safe in their communities," Gloria affirmed. "I'm pleased to sign these improvements into law, because I'm confident they will make our communities safer."
Also on Gloria's safety docket is the innovative Safe Sidewalk Program, which promises to dramatically make it easier for citizens to mend their own corners. The initiative is reportedly set to waive pricey permit fees and quicken the process for private property owners looking to repair their pavements, which could save up to $2,100 per project.
"Many property owners are not aware that state law makes them responsible for maintenance of sidewalks fronting their private property," said the mayor via the City's press release.
