More Eyes In The Sky Coming

Downtown Huntington will get more “eyes in the sky” after its business improvement district board approved funding for additional cameras.

By Peter Sloggatt
psloggatt@longislandergroup.com

Sidewalks in Huntington villages major streets will get a scrubbing in the weeks ahead and more security cameras will be added to watch over those streets after funding was approved by the Huntington Village Business Improvement District (BID) board.
Board members voted at the BID’s last meeting June 12 to fund a power washing for high traffic areas of the village. Areas to get a thorough washing include Main Street, New York Avenue, Wall and New Streets, said BID president Jack Palladino. The scrubbing “will include gum removal,” and will be done in overnight hours to minimize disruptions to businesses, he added.

The BID board approved spending $17,500 for the cleaning, according to Palladino.

Additionally, the board approved funding to place surveillance cameras at four to six locations in the downtown area.

“We’ve been working with the Town security and Second Precinct police to identify locations,” Palladino said, though he could not pin down when they would be up and running. “We have to get permission of the property owners and then arrange the installation.”

The BID has purchased and maintained surveillance cameras at locations throughout the village for years. Palladino said they have been effective in solving crimes.

“They caught the murder on Clinton Avenue two years ago, and the attempted rape on Prospect Street,” Palladino said. “That’s one of the reasons we wanted to increase the number of locations where we have cameras.”

Video feeds from the cameras were used by police to identify suspects in both cases, Palladino said.