Unveiled on Wednesday by Mayor John Dal Broi and Member for Farrer Sussan Ley, the cameras will add to the community’s safety.

Cr Dal Broi believes they will make Griffith neater, safer, and tidier for the community to enjoy.

“We are confident we will keep the place safe for the community, and if anything does happen we will have it on camera and police will then take the appropriate action.”

Ms Ley was delighted Griffith City Council came to the table to match the funding of $122 thousand to deliver these cameras.

“These cameras across the Park, Community Garden and areas of the CBD will help our Council and local police reduce the risk of harm for locals and visitors, as well as prevent damage to garden equipment and vegetation,” Ms Ley said. 

The $122k CCTV project in Griffith completes an election pledge by Ms Ley through an ongoing commitment by the Australian Government to help build safe and secure communities.  

Griffith LAC’s Chief Inspector John Wadsworth was excited to be able to use the high definition footage to catch criminals.

“CCTV cameras area a great tool for evidence,” Inspector Wadsworth said.

“We only review the crime after it’s happened, so we still strongly encourage the public to report crimes when they happen, this just means we can catch those who do it.”

He said the installation of the cameras was not in response to a rise in crime in the area, but instead a prevention measure put in place after calls from within the community.

“We’d just like to say that this is a safe park, but we just want to make it safer.”

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Cr Dal Broi said the council matched the Government’s $122,000 funding to prevent vandalism and graffiti, and is confident the cameras will act as a deterrent.

”Over the last couple of years we’ve had a bit of vandalism and graffiti, and with the cameras now, some of these ‘heroes’ who create the vandalism will not come here,” Cr Dal Broi said.

Both Cr Dal Broi and Ms Ley said this initiative was in response to community calls for added security measures. 

Council also hopes to receive funding to install CCTV at the new skate park once it is up and running.

The new Safer Communities grants provide up to $1 million for security infrastructure initiatives to address crime and anti-social behaviour, reduce the fear of crime, increase safety, and assist some communities which may be at risk of racial or religious intolerance.