Incident Confirms Bus Camera System’s Need

Incident Confirms Bus Camera System’s Need
typewriter

If there was ever a clear confirmation that Ocean City needs cameras on buses, it was last weekend. In fact, it’s a crying shame the surveillance program discussed last month was not in place because it could provide invaluable evidence in a current homicide investigation.

Back in May, Ocean City Public Works Director Hal Adkins informed the Transportation Committee the Maryland Transit Authority could potentially provide the city a large grant to install video and audio surveillance on all of the city’s buses. The grant could come sometimes within the next fiscal year, which starts July 1. It would be for $400,000 from the federal government coupled with a $50,000 state grant and then a $50,000 commitment would need to come from the city.

The system would be simply reactive and would not be monitored as is the case with the cameras on the Boardwalk. This would merely be a tool for the city to use as a means to respond to an incident or seek information about riders when there is no police presence on the buses as has been the case so far this season.

In the case of last weekend’s murder, the alleged squabbling among the involved individuals that led to the incident began on a city bus. If a system was present, surveillance images on that bus could have been culled and distributed widely and quickly to the media for immediate dissemination. Instead, there’s nothing of that sort, although police have reported surveillance is being reviewed.

Along those lines, just like the State Highway Administration needs to change its mindset when it comes to completing infrastructure projects by Cruisin’ weekend, Ocean City needs to have everything ready to go for the season by Cruisin’ weekend at the latest. We are referring specifically to putting cops on the buses earlier in the season. It’s easy to say that in hindsight looking back at the last two busy weekends, but history also tells us incidents happen on the buses before the Senior Week festivities traditionally begin in June.

Cameras would have played a critical role in this homicide investigation. Help would have been nice because let’s face it — the descriptions of the suspects currently available are worthless because they are so commonplace. They do nothing for community members who may want to help. All we know is there are four individuals wanted and they are white males in their 20s.

The city would be wise to pursue the grant initiative with vigor, pointing specifically to this incident as proof it would benefit from it. Last weekend’s death investigation and the challenges police currently face without the system should be plenty to justify the new level of surveillance.

About The Author: Steven Green

Alternative Text

The writer has been with The Dispatch in various capacities since 1995, including serving as editor and publisher since 2004. His previous titles were managing editor, staff writer, sports editor, sales account manager and copy editor. Growing up in Salisbury before moving to Berlin, Green graduated from Worcester Preparatory School in 1993 and graduated from Loyola University Baltimore in 1997 with degrees in Communications (journalism concentration) and Political Science.