District 2 Councilman Kevin Faulconer, along with members of the San Diego Police Department held a press conference and walking tour in Mission Beach, Friday, Nov. 3, to discuss their action plan for mounting permanent security camera in Mission Beach.
The increased security measures come weeks after the Oct. 15 home invasion, robbery and sexual assault on four University of San Diego (USD) students at one of the victim’s home on San Fernando Place.
The suspects were reportedly walking by, saw the victims inside and tried an unlocked door, through which they entered the apartment.
According to police Lt. Brian Ahearn, the presence of these added security cameras would have been useful in the Oct. 15 attack.
“Cameras act as a deterrent,” he said. “Whenever there are cameras in a specific area we usually visualize that with signs indicating, ‘You’re on camera,’ which naturally reduced crime.”
He explained that the cameras would also have allowed detectives to go back and review the footage to identify possible suspects.
The press conference also included a tour of the area to identify areas to potentially install security cameras, focusing on the south Belmont Park area and parking lot, as well as key locations along the boardwalk. The tour focused on the 3000 to 3200 blocks of Mission Boulevard, the boardwalk, and Bayside Lane, along with a concentrated effort on the 700 block of Ventura Place and the south parking lot of Belmont Park. The tour also mentioned where lighting could be improved or repaired.
“This will give our police officers and our police department another tool that they can utilize to fight crime,” Faulconer said. “This is one more thing that we are looking at in order to enhance public safety here in the beach areas.”
Faulconer said he and representatives from the Police Department will be meeting with both the Mission Beach Town Council (MBTC) and Mission Beach Planning Board (MBPB) this month security camera locations and funding solutions.
The actual cost to mount the cameras will be based on the number installed, but current estimate is between $6,000 and $10,000. Both the MBTC and MBPB are willing to assist in raising the money to install the cameras, Faulconer said.
William Ferris, of Dotworkz Systems, was also in attendance showing their Axis 213 PTZ Network Camera, a sample of the type of camera that would be used in Mission Beach.
He explained that the camera has a 25 time optical zoom, which would allow police to collect license plate information up to a quarter of a mile, as well as identify a subject’s face at up to 1/8 mile, in the right lighting.
“This is a very powerful camera,” Ferris said. The camera can pan 340-degrees and also tilts up and down and is expected to last five to six years due to it’s built in protection against sun, sand and rocks.
According to Faulconer, the cameras should be installed by the end of the month.
“This is not a months away project, this is sooner rather than later,” he said. “From my stand point, I want us to move as fast and as quickly as possible to move forward on that.”
According to Ahearn, the police department has increased patrols in the area where the attacks occurred, adding upwards of four officers and one sergeant to focus their attention on the area, as well as the police Harbor Unit coming on board to provide extra patrols when not assigned to a specific task in the Mission Bay area.
“Cameras are a step in the right direction,” he said. “If we can get cameras on board it can be a benefit not only to the community, to the police department. I have to say I think the community is healing.”
Ahearn explained that the investigation of the Mission Beach attacks continues, despite having all suspects believed to be involved in the actual attack in custody. They are currently looking at other individuals who may be been witness to the crime or witnesses after the fact of the crime.