PEACH COUNTY, Ga. — A new surveillance project will hit the Peach County Commission floor for a vote.
If it passes at Tuesday's meeting, a Flock camera system will be installed at North Peach Park South Peach Park. Peach County Parks and Recreation Director Bruce Mackey said it's an effort to put extra eyes on blind spots and enhance park safety and security.
Since taking on the role as director, nearly eight months ago, Mackey said he's noticed an uptick of vandalism to park property.
"The parks didn't have the surveillance and the cameras that I thought it needed to fully secure our parks," Mackey said. "I would hate for something to happen and we not be able to offer some type of assistance to PD to help catch whoever."
Currently, there isn't a designated park security staff, but local law enforcement patrols the area. Mackey said he's hoping the addition of a Flock camera system would help provide police assistance in real time.
Flock cameras are license plate reading technology, equipped to catch plate numbers and the make and model of a car as it passes through the area. In other Central Georgia jurisdictions, it has helped authorities narrow down the path of a possible suspect.
Mackey said if the vote passes, the Flock cameras will monitor traffic at the parks' entrances and exits. But he doesn't want the coverage to stop there.
At the county commission's previous work session meeting, Mackey presented a proposal for 360-degree cameras. Both parks are over 20 acres, so he said he wants to have more eyes on just the high traffic areas such as the entrance and exit zone, to help protect people who use the trails, fields and courts.
Xinia Bryan lives in Byron and frequents North Peach Park on a weekly basis. Bryan said her and her daughter usually go together with friends.
"The park is safe I guess but you don't want to get to that point where something happens and it becomes dangerous," Bryan said.
Bryan says she remembers a time when a woman was driving through the park while intoxicated.
"We had kids around so it was dangerous to imagine that person running over somebody," Bryan said. "So yeah, we do need cameras to keep it safe."
Mackey tells 13WMAZ he isn't sure if the 360-degree surveillance system will receive a vote at Tuesday's meeting but he hopes to see it considered for the future. Commissioners will meet on Tuesday, Aug. 13 at 6 p.m., in the Board of Commissions Office in Fort Valley.