IBERIA PARISH (NEW IBERIA) — A project 2-3 years in the making is in its final stages. KATC spoke with the New Iberia Police Department (NIPD) and area residents to discuss new and improved insights into crime in the area.
Thanks to new technology and a $1.6 million federal grant, the New Iberia Police Department will receive nearly 500 state-of-the-art surveillance cameras controlled from its brand new Crime Center.
“The cameras help because they give us a witness who is always there,” said Lt. Kellen Landry, an IT specialist with the department. “So having a witness on the ground who can tell us without error what happened is a game changer.”
The cameras will be gradually installed at 125 locations across the city. Each location will have four cameras that provide a 360-degree view of the area in question.
KATC went out into the community to talk to residents and find out what they think about the new citywide surveillance system.
“I think it can really help the city, especially if it helps reduce crime rates and highlight traffic accidents and things like that,” says Conner, a freshman at UL and a resident of New Iberia.
“The surveillance cameras will only help,” said another man, “if the police chief, his assistant or his captain ensure that the law is upheld.”
As for privacy, Captain Leland Laseter said most of the cameras are mounted on utility poles.
“We don’t hide them, we don’t park them on private property. They drive on city and state roads to access streets and public areas… This is not a violation of anyone’s rights.”
KATC was able to take a look inside the station’s new Real-Time Crime Center, which is currently closed to the public due to NCIC (National Crime Information Center) regulations.
Captain Laseter said the new system, which features cutting-edge technology including sound and enhanced vehicle/person identification, has already helped solve crimes in the area.
“Thanks to these cameras, every shooting and murder since January has been solved.”
According to NIPD, notifications of crime alerts in the area will be available through this new system. Businesses and residents with personal security cameras will also have the option to add their devices to NIPD’s Crime Center system, allowing the department to monitor that specific area.
New Iberia Police hope to have the cameras and system fully operational by the end of this month.
