TOWSON, Md. — When you enter Coffee Talk in downtown Towson, the doorbell rings. It lets shop owner Nara Khakurel know someone’s come in the shop.
WATCH: The unblinking eye of crime fighting in downtown Towson
So do four security cameras, including this one outside the store provided by the Towson Main Street Collaborative.
“It's like an additional layer of comfort to our customers and the Towson residents,” Nara says.
Ninety-nine percent of downtown Towson is covered by these security cameras. It's one way businesses, residents and police are working together to enhance public safety and reduce crime in the county seat.
“We've been hearing that the cameras in the spaces that we've placed them have produced a lot of positive results,” says Tom Gronert, president of the Towson Main Street Collaborative. “We've heard back from the police department that they have helped solve some of the issues that have occurred.”
More than 50 outdoor security cameras have been installed by the Main Street Collaborative since 2022, paid for through federal and state grants, and more are planned.
That's good news for people like Victorious Lee, who works nearby and didn't know about the security cameras.
“A lot of crazy stuff happens out here,” she says. “And I work around the corner and I get off really late, so I think that's really safe that they have that.”
While Baltimore County police don't have direct access to the cameras, business owners can simply click and send footage when police need it.
Towson resident John Rohde also didn't know about the security cameras. While he likes the idea, he thinks the focus should be on preventing crime before it happens.
“I think if more people knew about it, they would probably work better as a deterrent rather than trying to catch people,” he says. “You just keep 'em from doing it in the first place.”
Baltimore County police report crime is down eight percent in the area in the past year alone, although they can't credit the cameras for the decrease.
As for Nara, an increase in public safety measures can be a boost to small businesses like his.
“We want them to feel more safer and comfortable to roam around in downtown Towson,” he says. “Help to the local business, local economy, spend their money and have a good time.”
