The small town of Houlton is about to become one of the most surveilled communities on the U.S. border thanks to the police chief’s decision to install more surveillance cameras per-thousand residents than can be found in New York City.
“Considering we live in a world of continuous video in many locations, I expect positive support from the public considering the objective,” said Timothy DeLuca, who is currently serving as both police chief and Houlton town manager.
The new cameras were approved at a public hearing of the Houlton Town Council because their existing system was degrading.
In written comments to the Maine Wire, DeLuca did not specify exactly how many new cameras would be installed, but he did say that 50 cameras would be a conservative estimate.
“Consider[ing] municipal buildings in Houlton (police, fire, EMS, public works, recreation, civic center, airport, parks, gaming fields and cemeteries) 50 is a conservative number,” said DeLuca.
Assuming that Houlton will have only 50 cameras total, excluding whatever cameras already exist, and however many new cameras over 50 are installed, the small rural town would have eight cameras per thousand residents, given the U.S. Census Bureau’s estimate of 6,064 Houlton residents in 2022.
The eight cameras per thousand estimate (which is probably significantly less than the actual number) is nonetheless more cameras-per-thousand than are found in New York City, which only has seven cameras-per-thousand.
DeLuca was careful to assert that the cameras are not intended to monitor everyday residents, nor will footage collected from the cameras be used as the only evidence required for an arrest.
However, the footage will be monitored at the Houlton Police Department, and, although it is only intended to be reviewed when there is a suspected crime, police will have constant access to the footage.
DeLuca also suggested that the town was surveyed so that the cameras could be placed to result in maximum town-wide coverage.
Some, but not all, of the new cameras will have signs notifying residents that they are being watched. But signs will only be put up “where required” according to DeLuca, or where the signs might discourage crime.
“The initial commitment was 130,000 [dollars] which includes the hardware, software, installation, and connection,” said DeLuca.
The new cameras and software were purchased from the security company Verkada, which has also provided security cameras for Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
Cameras are currently being installed by Swallows electric, a local Houlton company, with the installation projected to finish within a few weeks.
DeLuca’s simultaneous positions of town manager and police chief have led some to express concerns over a possible conflict of interest, suggesting that DeLuca is using his position as town manager to further the police department’s interests by installing the new cameras.
The added surveillance has proven divisive amongst Houlton residence, with some questioning the price tag and need for surveillance, while others have said the added cameras are called for by increased drug-related crime.
“I don’t understand what everyone is complaining about. If your not doing anything wrong than you have absolutely nothing to worry about,” Duska R. Howell wrote on the Houlton Talks Facebook page. “Let us not forget a lot of businesses have been broken into.”
“Could’ve put it towards something useful like repairing the roads in and around town,” said John Smalley. “Blows my mind the stupid s*** the town council decides to spend the taxpayers’ money on.”
“I think it’s great. They’ll only pull the footage when something needs to be investigated,” said Mike Jewell. “Extra security in any town should be praised.”
The Maine Wire reached out to Houlton’s state representative, Rep. Gregory Swallows (R-Houlton) to ask his opinion, but did not immediately respond.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="24963 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=24963">6 Comments
The cost is not in the installation or the hardware. The cost is in the STORAGE of the data, in this case the videos, the monthly cost of the software and in training staff to run the software or hiring a company to do this. The videos have to be kept for months, if not years, if there is a lawsuit, and in storing daily video streams for at least 6 months. All of this costs a lot of money paid to an outside firm to make sure the data is not corrupted or tampered with. Most small towns end this type of surveillance after 6 months when the cost is shown to be excessive as was the case in several Arizona towns where the cost of surveillance exceeded the total budget of local police department. The town of Houlton will learn this lesson soon enough.
Take those cameras and put them on the Maine/Canada border . I think we’ll be needing them there, especially when they start taking our guns away , and legalizing all drugs… just like Commifornia…. Maine gov.t seems to bow down to money from outside sources. Beware , good people of Maine, you are being scammed at every level.
If DeLuca was doing his job. Cameras would not be needed.
My family spends a little over $13,000.00 a year in Houlton. We’ll be shopping in Lincoln and Bangor for now on.
Enjoy the view!
The U.S Border Patrol is stationed in Houlton, Maine. How many of you think the break in and drugs are a result of the northern invasion!?
‘Houlton Sector Maine’
Customs and Border Protection
‘New Maine border chief is agency vet familiar with state‘
AP News
Aug 2021
‘Border Patrol: Maine sees spike in immigration arrests over last 12 months’
News Center Maine
Nov 2023
‘Human smuggling is on the rise at Maine’s northern border’
The County
Dec 2023
These cameras were purchased with unused Covid relief funds – Maine cities and towns have done this frequently. The original purchase is bad enough but these cameras will need to be replaced as they wear out.
This chief is a bad guy. For all the comments talking about pot, this chief loves him some pot. There are stories in town of HPD guarding grow operations and escorting pot money. Yes its legal in maine but HPD probably puts a person a week in jail for smoking pot on probation. Chief smoking is bad example. Big question is why is town dumb enough to give him both salaries for town manager and Chief but he puts in 40 or less hours.