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Taylorsville • Brandon Alcorn knew there were cameras in the Taylorsville skate park, but he didn't know they were always on and always recording.
Not that he cares. Alcorn, a 15-year-old Taylorsville High School student who says he skates in the park at least every other day, likes the idea of the city monitoring the park to stop crime.
"It's a completely understandable reason why they have them," Alcorn said.
Parkgoers in Taylorsville can expect more lenses watching them. The city plans to install cameras at Millrace Park, probably in the spring, said John Morgan, city administrator.
The city also is pondering cameras at the new Taylorsville-Vista Baseball Complex at 2200 W. 5000 South. Morgan said if the city decides to install those cameras, it likely will do so in the spring, as well.
While cameras at public buildings or intersections have become a way of life in Utah, few cities in the state have placed cameras in parks. Salt Lake City police have installed them only in Pioneer Park, and the only means of viewing those cameras is at a terminal at the police department. In Ogden, the city has placed cameras in Municipal Park.
But Taylorsville has embraced the technology. The cameras are crime deterrents, Morgan said. When crimes have occurred, the cameras, which are constantly recording, have helped solve the cases.
In one instance, someone pried metal plaques from a wall at Bridgeside Park. Video helped identify the thieves and return the plaques, Morgan said.
"The better we can police [the parks], the better we can control what happens on the properties," he said.
Police also have used the cameras to help make arrests or issue citations for underage tobacco or alcohol consumption, Taylorsville police Sgt. Tracy Wyant said.
Police officers, city maintenance workers and administrators can access the cameras from their laptop computers. Wyant said officers will sometimes look at the camera feed just to see what is happening in the parks.
"You can scan pretty well with them, so we've used them for surveillance a couple times," Wyant said.
At the skate park at 4800 S. Redwood Road, there are no signs alerting people to the cameras, but the devices in their dome-shaped coverings are clearly visible. The city also issued news releases to alert the public to the cameras in 2008.
Morgan said he has heard no citizen complaints about the use of cameras, nor has anyone opposed them when the topic has arisen at City Council meetings.
"All we've had is positive comments and my council has asked we look for places to expand it," Morgan said.
On a warm Friday afternoon, 15-year-old Devon Chandler planted his feet on his skateboard and rode up and down the Taylorsville skate park's concrete ramps and curves. He took a break and pointed to the chalk writings and drawings, mostly displaying peace signs, hearts and promoting upcoming concerts, covering one bowl-shaped ramp. Gang signs, Chandler said, are covered by city staff within a few days.
Chandler hopes the cameras prevent more drawings in the skate park.
"I want the skate park kept in nice condition," he said. "I don't want it covered in graffiti."
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