Oceanfront camera program

IT'S PRETTY CROWDED.

BECAUSEOF THAT I CAN'T SEE WHAT'SHAPPENING DOWN THE WAY, BUTTHESE CAMERAS INSTALLED ALLAROUND THE OCEANFRONT CAN.

THEIDEA IS THAT IF SOMETHINGDANGEROUS OR ILLEGAL HAPPENSHERE ONTHE GROUND, IT CAN BESEEN FROM INSIDE THE SECONDPRECINCT.WITH LASER FOCUS..

49-54(CAPTAIN BILLY ZELMS, VBPD)"YOU NEED TO BE AN EFFECTIVELISTENER, AN EFFECTIVECOMMUNICATOR..." THESEOPERATORS... ARE LOCKED IN ONTHE OCEANFRONT.

49-54 (CAPT.ZELMS) "... AND BE VIGILANT TOWHTA YOU'RE WATCHING."WATCHING, THROUGH THESECITY-FUNDED SECURITY CAMERAS,WHAT'S HAPPENING ON THE BEACH,SIDEWALKS AND ROADS.

CAPTAINBILLY ZELMS WITH VIRGINIABEACH POLICE SAYS IT'S ALL INTHE NAME OF SAFETY.

1-9 (CAPT.ZELMS) "WE KNOW THAT OUROFFICERS CAN'T BE EVERYWHEREAT ANY TIME AND WE CERTAINLYKNOW THAT WE NEED MORE HELPTHAN WE CURRENTLY HAVE SOTHESE CAMERAS KIND OF ACT ASTHAT ADDITIONAL FORCE."CAMERAS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED INTHE AREA SINCE 2018 -- BUT WEWANTED TO SEE (WHAT VIDEO THEYCAPTURE AND (HOW LONG IT'SSTORED.

13-20 (CAPT.

ZELMS)"IF WE FIND OUT ABOUT ANINCIDENT A DAY TO AE WEK ORTWO WEEKS LATER WE CAN GO BACKAND LOOK TO SEE IF THE FOOTAGEIS THERE." 20-31 "OBVIOUSLYTHE CAMERA HAS TO BE POINTEDIN A SPECIFIC DIRECTION ORLOOKING AT A SPECIFIC FIELD OFVIEW.." WE AOLS ASKED CAPT.ZELMS WHAT IT IS EXACTLY THATTHE OPERATORS ARE LOOKING FOR.1:02-1:12 (CAPT.

ZELMS) "SOFIRST AND FOREMOST YOU LOOKFOR THE CROWDS AND THEN YOULOOK AT BEHAVIORS, SPECIFICACTIONS THAT ARE GOING ON INTHE CROWD (BUTT) THAT'S WHENTHEY START TO ADVISE OUROFFICERS ABOUT WHAT'S GOINGON." CAPT.

ZELMS SAY IT'SHELPFUL DURING BIG FESTIVALSAND EVENTS.

ON A SMALLER SCALERECENTLY -- CAMERA OPERATORSHELPED OFFICERS MAKE AN ARRESTWHEN "TWO JUVENILES WERECAUGHT ON CAMERA BRANDISHINGWEAPONS." THERE HAVE BEENTIMES, HOWEVER, WHEN CAMERASDIDN'T CATCH ACTIVITY -- LIKETHE SHOOTINGS AT THEOCEANFRONT IN MARCH.

AS PEOPLEQUESTION WHAT HAPPENED, THEDEPARTMENT SAYS -- 1:15-1:21(CAPT.

ZELMS) "INEVITABLYTHERE ARE GOING TO BEINSTANCES WHERE WE DON'T CATCHAN INCIDENT AS IT HAPPENSBECAUSE A CAMERA, FOR ONEREASON OR ANOTHER, IS NOTPOINTED IN THAT DIRECTION."OVER THE LAST 90 DAYS -- THEDEPARTMENT REPORTS, VIOLENTCRIME IS DOWN 48- PERCENT NEARTHE OCEANFRONT..

CAPT.

ZELMSSAYS TECHNOLOGY IS JUST APIECE OF THAT PUZZLE.1:27-1:30 (CAPT.

ZELMS) "I'DLIKE TO REITERATE THE FACT THATTHE CAMERAS ARE THERE FORPUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY."CAPTAIN ZELMS SAYS THE CENTERIS STAFFED SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.I MENTIONED IN MY REPORT THEFATAL VIOLENCE THAT WE SAWLAST SPRING..

SINCE THEN CITYCOUNCIL HAS APPROVED FUNDINGFOR 42 MORE CARAMES.

CAPTAINZELMS SAYS THEY WILL BEINSTALLED SOON.

LIVE IN VB EMN3.OVERNIGHT - FENCING WENT BACKUP AROUND THE U-S CAPITO.LTHESE ARE PART OF THEPREPARATIONS FOR THISWEEKEND'S "JUSTICE FOR J-SIX"RALLY.ORGANIZERS CALL THE RALLY A