New Detroit Video Camera Program Will Fight Gas Station Crime

Mayor Duggan at press conference (Photo from WDIV video)

For Detroit to grow as a city, residents need to be able to perform some of the most basic tasks without fear. One of those tasks is filling up the gas tank and running into the station store to purchase an item, be it a soda, candy bar or a half gallon of milk.

Gas station owners also need to be able to operate without constant fear of robberies, carjackings and thefts.

This is a good step in the right direction.

The mayor and police chief on Monday announced “Project Green Light Detroit,” a pilot project that involves a handful of gas stations that have installed live video cameras, which will be monitored by the police department at a "Real Time Crime Center."

The pilot project will initially involve eight gas stations, with wider expansion expected in March.

“We are going to form every partnership and use every tool we can to drive down crime in our neighborhoods,” Mayor Duggan said in a statement. “Thanks to the commitment of these Detroit gas station owners, Project Green Light Detroit will give our officers immediate access to video and information that might otherwise take hours to gather.”

Under the program, the city says, stations have agreed to dish out about $6,000 to:

Install a number of high-definition video cameras inside and outside their establishment, sufficient to cover all areas of the property.
Provide DPD with real-time access to their cameras at all times
Install enhanced exterior lighting systems that brightly illuminate the property on all sides.
Install at least one highly visible green light on their establishment, along with a sign indicating it is a Project Green Light Detroit partner.

A press release says that the high resolutions cameras will allow Real Time Crime Center staff to get clear images of suspects’ faces and clothing, as well as vehicles and even license plate numbers, all of which can be quickly relayed to units in the area.

“This is one more piece in the City’s efforts to reduce crime, and another example of how DPD is using technology and smart policing to improve safety in our neighborhoods,” Chief Craig said in a statement. “This initiative will improve safety, promote growth and revitalization of local businesses, and strengthen the Detroit Police Department’s ability to fight crime.”

Project Green Light Detroit will run the first two months of the year. During that time, police, the gas station owners and community groups will provide input so the program can be fine tuned.

The goal is to expand the project to include additional gas stations and other businesses including restaurants and convenience stores in March.

The pilot locations, along with their addresses and names of their owners, are: