On Wednesday, I announced a future expansion of the City's actively-monitored crime camera program along major thoroughfares in the Coldstream Homestead Montebello, South Clifton Park, and Darley Park Neighborhoods. Thirty new cameras will be strategically placed on North Avenue, Harford Road, and Belair Road above North Avenue toward Clifton Park. Our CitiWatch program has been instrumental in supporting the work of the men and women of the Baltimore Police Department to reduce violent crime.

The Northeast District crime camera expansion will be supported with grant funding from the Department of Homeland Security and builds on our continued investment in public safety, which includes an aggressive hiring plan to recruit more than 300 new police officers in 2011. The Fiscal 2012 Budget proposal fully funds the operation of 526 crime cameras, which have been shown to reduce crime by 25% in covered areas. Over the past year and half, 46 new crime cameras have been added to the CitiWatch network.

In 2010, CitiWatch participated in over 1,282 arrests. About half of these arrests occurred in the Downtown business district. CitiWatch initiated over 125 arrests for violent crimes including robberies, assaults, and illegal gun possession.

The cameras are a force-multiplier that enables us to do more to protect the citizens of Baltimore. On Wednesday, WJZ spoke with residents and Police Department officials about the benefits of the expansion of the CitiWatch system.