Keep Columbia Safe begins petition drive

A petition supporting the cameras has been created.

By Nick Agro

Published Sept. 15, 2009

Increasing the number of surveillance cameras in downtown Columbia is a matter close to resident Karen Taylor's heart, and she's willing to do anything she can to get more of them.

Taylor started the grassroots organization Keep Columbia Safe with this goal in mind after her son Adam Taylor, an MU graduate, was knocked unconscious and robbed by a group of seven teenagers at the Tenth and Cherry streets parking garage.

"I remember telling the officers that you'll never catch this group of individuals, I have no idea what they look like," Adam Taylor said.

Later that evening, the Columbia Police Department made three arrests with the sole aid of surveillance camera footage.

On Monday morning, Adam Taylor and his mother returned to the spot of the attack to hold a press conference and to petition to place more of these security cameras downtown. If the petition is successful, the issue will appear for a vote as a ballot initiative in April 2010.

Earlier this year, a proposal to expand Columbia's security camera system was put before City Council, which was expected to approve the measure. Money had been appropriated for the lease of the cameras, but the funds needed to be transferred.

The Columbia Special Business District also agreed to pay half the $50,000 expense to cover the cameras' cost. But, the council voted down the proposal by a 6-1 vote. Mayor Darwin Hindman was the only member of the council to vote in favor of leasing the additional cameras.

"It really was just a matter of formality to approve the mobile video cameras when the council surprisingly voted that proposal down," Karen Taylor said.

Many members of City Council thought the security cameras would encroach on citizens right to civil liberties and privacy.

Columbia resident Chris Alvarado said some people are afraid of increased security cameras because they will feel the government is always watching them.

"It's an old way of thinking," he said. "Sometimes we need to be monitored for our safety. It's something a lot of cities are going to have to implement."

Karen Taylor, along with her son, attempted to reopen public discussions on the issue. The council denied her request by a vote of 4-3.

"All we were asking for was for them to readdress and hear public comment," she said. "We believed this vicious assault and fact the video cameras were instrumental in the arrest were enough to warrant a public discussion."

At the press conference, Karen Taylor said the reason she was so adamant about reopening discussion with the council was because she believed the public hadn't gotten a chance to voice their opinion on the situation.

Columbia resident Mary Stampley agreed with Taylor.

"I think the people have a right to say whether this is doable," Stampley said. "It's not for a small circle of people to say weather we are safe or not."

To get the petition passed, Keep Columbia Safe must get more than 2,500 signatures by Oct. 31.