GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Gwinnett County’s police chief is seeking more funding to enhance the county’s high-tech camera system, which is increasingly relied upon for law enforcement.
Chief J.D. McClure of the Gwinnett County Police Department has requested more than $420,000 in the next year’s budget to hire four more crime analysts.
The request comes as the county’s Situational Awareness and Crime Response Center experiences a 45% increase in calls this year.
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The camera system integrates more than 13,000 cameras from businesses, neighborhoods and county resources.
“The SACRC has really helped us in what I call precision policing,” McClure said. The camera system can help police catch suspects in seconds.
McClure also highlighted the importance of the system in preventing wrongful stops, which can damage community trust.
“When we talk about building positive community relations, those type of occurrences don’t help you,” he told Channel 2 Gwinnett County Bureau Chief Matt Johnson.
The request for additional funding aims to increase the number of crime analysts on each shift from three to four, thereby improving the center’s ability to respond to the rising demand for analytical services.
Last year, the center helped find 82 stolen vehicles, contributed to more than 250 arrests and found 12 missing people, police said.
As budget proposals for 2026 are underway, with first proposals expected in November, McClure noted the progress that has been made.
“I’m a 30-year veteran of Gwinnett County, and we are better equipped today than we have ever been in my entire career,” he said.
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