Springdale Township buys cameras in attempt to catch vandals, illegal dumpers

Mary Ann Thomas | Friday, July 17, 2020 12:52 p.m.

Louis B. Ruediger | Tribune-Review

Springdale Township police are looking for people who vandalized a small park near the municipal building.

Springdale Township has bought surveillance cameras that can capture high-resolution images to record license plates and are capable of facial identification to thwart vandalism, illegal dumping and other misconduct.

The township has contracted with Secure Technical Solutions Inc., of New Kensington, for about $4,000 for three to four cameras and a centralized camera system capable of using up to 16 cameras. Work on the new surveillance system will begin in about a month, said township Commissioners President Anthony Rozzano.

The township plans to add more cameras in the future.

“We did not have the technology years ago like we have today,” he said. “Now is the time. This will increase the township’s ability to find out who is creating these problems.”

While surveillance cameras have been around for years, the technology keeps growing and now the high-resolution camera systems are affordable, he said.

Vandalism has been an ongoing problem at township playgrounds for at least the past five years, Rozzano said. Vandals have broken playground equipment, including swings at the playground next to the township building and the Williams Street playground.

There also has been dumping of items such as tires, televisions and other home items at the Carson Street pumping station, which houses sewage pumping equipment owned by the township.