DUBLIN, Ga. — More surveillance cameras are going up in Dublin.
Last week, Dublin City Council approved 20 more Flock Safety Falcon License Plate Recognition cameras to be installed around the city.
Dublin already has 40 of these cameras installed in high-crime areas.
These cameras scan license plates, and automatically alert law enforcement if the plate is connected to a stolen vehicle or other crime.
Kim Cook owns a store downtown, Hello Sunshine, and said crime's an issue all over the area.
"We had a few incidents that have caught my attention, not just downtown but overall in the county," Cook said.
She knows firsthand how much crime can affect a victim.
"I was actually in a bank robbery in 1998 here," she said.
Cook said it was a terrifying experience, so she's glad to hear more cameras are going up in her hometown.
"Excited to have you know, more eyes out on the ground for safety. Of course, want everyone to feel safe to come shop and eat in our downtown area, and anywhere in Dublin," Cook said.
Dublin Police Chief Keith Moon said the new cameras will be going up in neighborhoods.
"Those cameras are going into protect citizens that live- that are, you know just trying to live a peaceful life in the housing authority areas," Moon said.
He said in the past, the cameras helped them with all kinds of investigations, including missing persons.
"We just recently had one in the last week or so, and through Flock, we were pretty much able to find that person within hours whereas normally before that, it would take hours, sometimes weeks," Moon said.
A main issue he said they've seen in the housing authority areas involves gun violence.
"We're just trying to layer in as many pieces of technology as we can to help our officers speed up these investigations and combat the crime," Moon said.
He says the cameras will be paid for through the Crime Reduction Grant awarded to the Dublin Police Department from the governor.
He said the new cameras should go up in about 30 days.