The city of Allentown wants to help small businesses in the city fight crime.
The city is re-starting a surveillance camera grant program called SCAN — Security Camera Assistance Network.
The program will award applicants up to 50 percent of the total cost of surveillance equipment and installation — up to a maximum of $3,000 for a single commercial property anywhere in the city.
Businesses must apply for the funds, and applications are available via the city’s community and economic development department, Mayor Ed Pawlowski said on Friday. Applicants must be in good standing with the city, meaning they cannot owe the city any taxes or fees, and cannot have any pending litigation.
The city has $30,000 in matching funds available, and will dole out the grants until the money is gone, the mayor said. He estimated the program could fund a total of 15 to 20 cameras.
“The program will aid retailers and other small business that want to improve security, but have been unable to find the funds for these types of camera systems,” Pawlowski said.
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Police Chief Keith Morris said the systems can be costly for mom-and-pop businesses, so much so that “the cost outweighs the benefits.”
The SCAN program is a “perfect solution for that problem,” Morris said. He urged business owners to apply “so that we can all make Allentown a safer city.”
The city offered a similar program in 2014, but that focused on businesses plugging into the city-run surveillance system and it proved too costly, the mayor said.
The city currently has 175 city surveillance cameras, and is adding about five more. The police department can access the livestream of footage from those cameras now, Morris said.
With changes in technology, police are now able to use USB drives to download photos or videos directly at the private businesses, and quickly distribute them to help catch criminals, officials said.
Some businesses have older systems, or systems that are not compatible with the police department’s computer programs, so it takes longer to get the valuable information out to officers, officials said.
“One of the hurdles we face now is the information is there, but we need specialists to come and retrieve the information,” Assistant Chief Glen Dorney said.
Police have used private security camera footage in investigations of homicides, thefts, robberies and burglaries, Morris said.
Allentown and area police departments sometimes use the images on social media to help catch criminals.
“We plan on upping our presence on social media in the near future,” Morris said.
Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.
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