Parking lots are notoriously dangerous areas that are difficult for police and security officers to monitor. Often open 24-hours a day with little to no access control, parking lots attract loitering, vandalism, theft and leave visitors vulnerable to attack. More and more cities are using surveillance cameras, patrol officers and strategic lighting to make parking lots less of an easy target for crime. Here are two examples from New York and North Carolina.
Police Fighting Crime in a Parking Lot. Theirs – New York Times – 2/19/10
Yonkers police have been losing an ongoing battle against vandalism in their own parking lot. Seeing as nobody likes speeding tickets and getting arresting Captain Hellthaler says the slashed tires and scratched doors are “probably a retaliation thing.” The lot, which to date has zero security to protect the officers personal cars, has received a $5,000 grant to install new lights and a swiveling surveillance camera to help protect Yonkers finest’s parking lot.
Greensboro Launches New Security At Parking Decks – WFMY News 2 (Greensboro, N.C.) – 2/19/10
In the past two years the Greensboro Police Department has received over 2,000 calls about incidents taking place at the city’s four parking decks. In an effort to secure their high traffic parking lots the city has hired police officers to monitor two of the busiest decks Tuesday through Saturday, from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. in addition to installing better lighting, security cameras and call boxes. The police department hopes that the added security will deter crime and reduce the number of false alarms.
