By Rick Palsgrove
Groveport Editor
Residents in a Groveport neighborhood are taking steps to improve the safety and security there.
At Groveport City Council’s July 11 meeting, J. Scott Bumgardner, president of the Elmont Place subdivision’s homeowners association, said the group plans to buy and install three security cameras to be placed on poles at strategic spots in Elmont Place.
He noted the Elmont Place area has recently suffered from a couple of shootings, speeders, and other problems. One shooting occurred in August 2021 where a man fired 15 rounds from a rifle inside his house in the subdivision before police arrested him. Then in December 2021 a suspect fired six rounds from a .40 caliber weapon at a house in the subdivision. No one was injured in either of the shooting incidents.
Bumgardner said the camera will capture the license plate numbers of vehicles entering the subdivision and, if the technology detects there is a warrant out on that number, the camera’s computer will notify the police and enable officers to investigate. The gathered information would be stored on a police computer server. The camera can also register the speed a vehicle is traveling.
Bumgardner said the camera system will cost the homeowners association $7,500 per year and that the group is ready to make the purchase, but needs council’s approval to place the camera poles in the right-of-way.
“We feel like this is a good idea for the city and for Elmont Place,” said Bumgardner.
Groveport Law Director Kevin Shannon advised council that it can consider a licensing agreement with the Elmont Place homeowners association that would allow the group to place the camera/security poles in the right of way in the subdivision. There would also be signage at the entryways to the subdivision announcing that the premises/area are monitored by security surveillance.
Council could possibly consider entering into the licensing agreement with the subdivision at council’s July 25 meeting.
