San Francisco Area Park Installs Security Cameras to Cut Crime

San Francisco Area Park Installs Security Cameras to Cut Crime

The City of Berkley, Calif. is installing surveillance cameras in San Pablo Park to decrease crime.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Mar 20, 2019

San Pablo Park in Berkley, Calif. is the oldest park in the city and features a recreation center, ball fields, tennis and basketball courts as well as playgrounds and picnic areas. The area surrounding the park is filled with $1 million single-story villas bungalows. Sounds like a utopia, but even these seemingly perfect areas are not invincible to crime.

The City of Berkley has decided to install surveillance cameras throughout San Pablo Park, a move that is in direct response to a spate of shootings, drug dealing and other crime in recent years. 

The new 17 cameras went live in early March, Officer Byron White, a spokesperson for the Berkley Police Department told the San Francisco Chronicle. The camera footage will be reviewed by the police and Berkley staff as needed to gather evidence in the event of a crime. Signage to mark that the cameras have been installed is currently in the works.

The cameras were part of a solution put together by police and parks officials after local residents packed into meetings at the park's rec center to urge officers to take action following recent shooting incidents. 

Berkley conducted an online survey in November about installing cameras in parks as a security measures. Of 240 respondents, 199 (or 82 percent) said they support the idea. While most residents who aded comments said they liked the idea, some wrote they were concerned about the "Big Brother" aspect of creating a surveillance network.

Residents believe the cameras will help to deter crime as well as help police in their search for suspects. Many hope that there are plans in the future to add cameras not only to the interior parts of the park, but along the perimeter as well.


About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Security Industry Association Announces the 2026 Security Megatrends

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and forecasted the 2026 Security Megatrends, which form the basis of SIA’s signature annual Security Megatrends report defining the top 10 factors influencing both near- and long-term change in the global security industry. Read Now

  • The Future of Access Control: Cloud-Based Solutions for Safer Workplaces

    Access controls have revolutionized the way we protect our people, assets and operations. Gone are the days of cumbersome keychains and the security liabilities they introduced, but it’s a mistake to think that their evolution has reached its peak. Read Now

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.