Kansas Town Considers Downtown Surveillance Cameras

Law enforcement officials want to install police-controlled surveillance cameras in downtown Lawrence, Kansas.

City commissioners will consider Tuesday whether to allow Lawrence police and the Douglas County Sheriff to use $46,800 in grants to buy two surveillance cameras for downtown.

Lawrence police chief Tarik Khatib says video systems help enhance public safety. He says temporary cameras proved valuable during the spring celebration of the Kansas Jayhawks’ run through the Final Four, and they would help during parades or if a child was missing downtown.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports the application for grant money from the U.S. Justice Department says the cameras also would be used to gather evidence of criminal activity.

Khatib says he hopes the cameras would be installed within a year.