Aiken residents push for curbs on crime in Crosland Park

AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Aiken Public Safety says although their murder rate is low, with just one murder in the city limits this year, drive-bys and aggravated assaults are up, especially in the Crosland Park neighborhood.

In May alone, three different shootings happened in that area.

We stopped by Tuesday’s neighborhood meeting, and the public safety department says they already have plans in the works.

A couple of years ago, Aiken Public Safety installed cameras in the downtown area. While this has helped them solve crimes, they met with the city and decided it was time to install those cameras in some neighborhoods with higher crime.

“In the Crosland Park and Toole Hill area, we are having more violent crimes there at the entrances,” said Captain of Investigations Martin Sawyer.

Over the last several weeks, Aiken Public safety installed Axis dome cameras in the Crosland Park and Toole Hill neighborhoods.

Their top priority is keeping members of these communities safe.

“I hope they feel safer knowing that if their house is broken into, if their house is shot up, if any crime goes on, that it will give us another tool to try to make an arrest, in this case,” said Sawyer

Six cameras have been installed throughout all entrances and exits of Crosland Park.

Recording 24/7, the agency says the cameras will let them see all activity from drive-by shootings to car color, tag plates, and a time code that will better help them identify the suspect.

“In the places they are located, cars come, people walk in, and we are able to see them come or go, and this can help us get a better description of the car,” he said.

The Crosland Park neighborhood board says they’re grateful.

Raymond Hall, a member of the board said: “It makes us feel comfortable because anything that you can do that is a positive step towards making the neighborhood safer for ourselves and our children.”

While the cameras have been installed, public safety tells us they are waiting on one last part before the cameras can begin recording. That should be sometime next week.

Sawyer said: “Cameras are going to do nothing but help us.”

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