One of St. Petersburg Police’s newest pieces of equipment hit the streets Wednesday.
- St. Petersburg Police debuted their newest vehicles Wednesday
- Truck is equipped with 360 degree cameras
- Hopes are that it will deter criminal activity
Officers parked the department’s new armored security vehicle at 3rd Avenue South and 35th Street South. Soon, it could be coming to a neighborhood near you.
"It has cameras outfitted in it that record for the duration it’s deployed in a certain area,” Sgt. Minchol Detty said.
This is the department’s second armored surveillance vehicle. Its cameras can catch anything 360 degrees around the vehicle.
The cameras are motion-activated and start recording when someone or something passes by. Officers can watch the footage live on monitors inside or watch recorded footage later.
The vehicle is clearly marked. It will spend a few days in different areas that have seen an increase in crimes like drug activity and break-ins to deter criminals. Officers also hope it helps them continue to make relationships in the community.
"It’s high visibility,” Detty said. "We want it to be able to be placed in an area and let the neighborhood know that we are there.”
Neighbors welcome the vehicle to their streets.
"It’s a lot safer,” Gaby Cardenas said. "It’s always good to have police officers or anyone safe around you.”
Brink’s Security donated the truck to the police department. Children from local recreational centers helped pick the truck’s design and slogan.