The city of East Lansing is moving forward a proposal to add several surveillance cameras downtown.
Five cameras could be installed along Grand River Avenue in the new year.
George Lahanas, East Lansing’s city manager, says in the last several months serious crimes have taken place along that corridor.
“And because of that, we think that the cameras will help deter that type of activity," he said. "It also provides the police with an extra tool to be able to address that, and, and an additional investigative tool as well.”
The Downtown Development Authority approved up to $35,000 dollars to the project. The money would come from the city’s Project Development Fund.
Downtown Development Authority chair Michael Krueger says the cameras will help make East Lansing a safer place to live.
"The cameras are meant to be in discrete places. And, again, just to sort of back up the police on if something were to happen," he said.
Krueger says some people in the DDA expressed concerns about privacy. He says the point of the cameras isn't to spy on anyone, but to inform police officers in case something does happen.
"The camera footage will only be reviewed if an incident takes place," he added.
Along Grand River Avenue, a camera was installed earlier this year to prevent the vandalism of several outdoor furniture items and an art exhibit from the MSU Broad Art Museum.
Over the summer, it helped encourage several MSU students to return a stolen piece of turf from downtown.
The East Lansing City Council is expected to vote on the proposal in December.
