Police video in Roanoke parks

By John Carlin
WSLS10 Anchor
Published: September 26, 2007

“Here squirrel...”

Carla Campbell: “I just enjoy seeing the squirrels and I’ll call ‘squirrelly’ and they’ll come running cause they know our car.”

Carla Campbell and friend James Dillon come to Wasena Park 4 times a week to feed the squirrels. They see lots of people using the park as it’s supposed to be. But they see other things too.

Carlin: “Do you see some criminal activity too?”

“Carla: Oh yeah the dope...”

After complaints about criminal activity in both Wasena and Highland parks, police recently put up signs, warning that they are video taping criminal activity.

Lt. Danny Brabham” “I guess folks were using the park to drink, to use drugs, to perform sex acts, prostitution.”

The signs may be there, but don’t be looking in tree branches or phone poles for fixed cameras like you might see in a convenience store. The cameras will come and go with police as they patrol the parks.

Carlin: “Where will the camera be?”

Brabham: “We’ll either do it covertly in an undercover car, or someone set up here, or overtly in one of our cars, or maybe even the mobile command post.”

But what about the people just enjoying the park, is it fair to take their picture?

Carlin: “Are you afraid people will say it’s big brother watching, you can’t even walk through a city park anymore?”

Brabham: I think, the complaints of the criminal activity will outweigh that.”

Brabham showed me where police often find evidence of drug use… But today we find none.

Good news for Carla, James—and the squirrels.