City says new North End surveillance cameras could be in by September

There could be new surveillance cameras scattered across the city's North End by the end of September. That's the word from the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) which will shell out about $200,000 for the improved system.

A consultant hired by the city has identified 31 locations for cameras across the north end of the city of West Palm Beach. Each camera will provide a live, wireless feed to the West Palm Beach Police Department. Twenty of the locations are inside the CRA, allowing CRA dollars to fund them. The remainder of the locations would need to be funded with yet-to-be-identified city dollars.

The city knows the type of cameras that are needed. Now it will move forward with finding a company from whom to buy them.

Repairing and replacing a neglected camera system became a hot-button issue following a string of summer shootings across the city's north end.

The head of the CRA says he estimates the cost will be approximately $200,000 for the locations inside the CRA and that the cameras could be up by September or October. But CRA Executive Director Jon Ward calls both those estimates a best guess based on the steps still ahead to purchase and install the new cameras.