Atlanta

Bridge collapse takes down city cameras used for crime prevention

ATLANTA — Since the Interstate 85 bridge collapse, the Atlanta Police Department says it has been forced to stretch its resources.

The department has positioned dozens of officers at major intersections near the collapse to deal with traffic jams throughout the city.

Channel 2's Nefertiti Jaquez has learned that nearly 30 city cameras used to help crack down on crime are offline because of the collapse.

"We knew right away. We knew in a matter of minutes that the cameras were affected," Maj. John Quigley, with the Atlanta Police Department, told Jaquez.

Quigley said they knew the cameras stopped working when TV screens faded to black at the department's Video Integration Center moments after the interstate came crashing down.

It’s news that has many business owners with stores near the collapse site worried.

“I would feel a lot better if they were working. Let’s just hope they get them fixed in a timely manner,” business owner Tony Jay told Jaquez.

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While Quigley admits the department relies heavily on its camera system, it allows them to have more eyes on the streets.

He also is sure the department has everything under control and has deployed more officers to the undisclosed areas where the cameras aren’t working.

“We are going to work quickly to bring them back up, but I don’t think there should be any concern,” Quigley said. “At this point, it hasn’t affected our ability to fight crime.”