San Jose launches mobile camera pilot to protect businesses from crime

Small businesses struggling with rampant crime in East San Jose are about to get some help.

San Jose has launched a mobile camera pilot program at Lion Plaza on Tully Road — part of the city’s ongoing emphasis on using technology solutions to provide a presence or help solve cases as its police department grapples with staffing shortages.

“I believe there’s nothing more basic than keeping our community safe,” San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said. “It is the fundamental responsibility of our government, and since taking office, I’ve tried to make sure that city hall is focusing on the basics like public safety. That being said, this community here, this corridor, (Tully Road-Eastridge Business Association), has not entirely yet felt the impact of that shift to a focus on the basics. They have still been experiencing repeated break-ins and property damage while simply trying to run a small business and make ends meet.”

Mahan, District 8 Councilmember Domingo Candelas and San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph on Tuesday unveiled two portable camera arrays with a speakerphone and license plate reader. Although the police department will not monitor the cameras 24/7, it will have access to the data collected along with business owners in the area. Candelas requested the camera purchase be included in the budget at a cost of $50,000.

“They feel unsafe,” Candelas said. “They feel their business is at risk because of the constant shattered windows and robberies. Han Kee, for example, down the street, has been in business for 39 years and it would be a shame to see them close their doors for fear of the issues that they have felt. A nail shop owner on the other side of the road had to reduce their business hours because once the sun went down, people did not feel safe.”

The Tully Road-Eastridge area’s challenges with crime have also led business leaders to search for their own solutions. The area is currently creating a business improvement district, which will collect assessments from businesses in the vicinity to address public safety and cleanliness needs separate from the pilot program unveiled Tuesday. Among the safety measures the district hoped to implement is the installation and maintenance of more cameras.

“It’s about fostering a sense of peace for our businesses, residents and customers,” TREBA President Christina Bui said.

Mahan said that San Jose, as the capital of Silicon Valley, needed to do more to embrace technology in improving public safety. So far, the city has installed nearly 500 automated license plate readers and will implement a speed camera pilot program next year.

At an event showcasing San Francisco’s drone program Monday, Mahan said the city is also exploring implementing a drone as a first responder program.

Although mobile cameras are only part of a pilot program, Mahan said the city would consider whether to expand the program as it continues to add more technology solutions to the police department.

“Over time, we’ll continue to iterate and shift budget allocations based on the input from the chief and his department and the community and figure out what the right combination of investments are,” Mahan said. “Knowing as the chief said, we can’t prevent every crime, but we want to be in the best position to hold people accountable and make sure that our laws are enforced and our community is as safe as it could possibly be.”