SNOW HILL, Md. -- Ten security cameras will soon be put up in some of the busier spots around town. The riverfront, parks, and a few areas of downtown will be the home for the new surveillance equipment.
The goal is improving safety, but Mary Chambers, who works downtown, said she isn't sure if it's essential for Snow Hill.
"There's not enough going on in this town, so I don't see it necessary unless there's something going on I don't know about," said Chambers.
The purchase of these cameras was made possible through the Neighborhood Crime Prevention grant, which is offered through the governor's office. The town applied for the grant in September of 2022 and was recently awarded roughly $70,000.
The majority of that money will go towards helping the Snow Hill Police Department keep a lookout in areas where an officer isn't physically present.
"What we wanted to do is just enhance our patrol footprint in our community and this was just another layer and another tool we certainly can utilize," said Andrew McGee, Chief of Police for the Snow Hill Police Department.
It will give police the ability to rewatch anything that happens within 48 hours, and the technology that comes with these cameras can be upgraded if the town chooses to do so.
"Right now what we're doing is just live cameras, they'll be fixed, they won't have the ability to do license plates or facials," said McGee. "But the technology is there, if we ever want to upgrade, we certainly can."
The cameras will also serve a purpose outside of aiding law enforcement. One camera will be placed with a clear view of the drawbridge that leads in and out of town. It's an area prone to flooding, so the goal is to give drivers a live look at road conditions.
It's something Ted Elliott, owner of Elliott's Tavern, is looking forward to.
"People post on Facebook all the time asking if the road is passable, and particularly for me, for employees that live in Salisbury trying to get here, that would be a nice tool," said Elliott.
The Snow Hill Police Department said the goal is to get the cameras up and running by this summer at the latest.