Local
Metro to increase surveillance
By: Taryn Luntz
Examiner Staff Writer
November 4, 2008
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The District will pay $200,000 to install security cameras at the Rhode Island Avenue, Congress Heights, Deanwood, Minnesota Avenue, Fort Totten, Takoma, Brookland-CUA, Columbia Heights, Georgia Avenue-Petworth and Tenleytown stations.
Fairfax County will pay $75,000 to have cameras installed at Vienna and Franconia-Springfield, the two highest-crime Metro stations in Virginia.
There were 48 crimes, including 39 vehicle crimes, reported at the Vienna station between January and the end of September, and 35 crimes, including 29 auto-related incidents, reported at the Franconia-Springfield station during that period.
Ward 1 Councilman Jim Graham, who serves on Metro’s board of directors, requested the cameras after a 2006 pilot program, in which Metro installed a security camera at the west entrance of the U Street-Cardozo station, appeared to deter crime.
Crime dropped by one-third at the station the year after the cameras was installed, Metro officials said.
The camera, which is powerful enough to identify people 150 feet away, is monitored occasionally by the station manager.
Metro’s board is expected Thursday to approve a measure to initiate a contract for the installation of the external cameras.
Metro has a network of more than 1,000 cameras inside stations and in Metrobuses.
According to the most recent Metro statistics, the agency is on track to see a 21 percent increase in reported crime in 2008 from 2007.
Metro averaged 150 crimes a month from January through September, compared with 123 crimes a month in 2007.
