Ocean Beach visitors and residents beware, your activities are about to be recorded on video cameras and transmitted on a live feedback to police headquarters.
Police say the feed is the first of its kind here in San Diego.
San Diego Police hope to have the 12 camera surveillance system operational by the end of this year.
The cameras will record and send back live pictures in real time 24 hours a day through a secured Wi-Fi connection.
Not everyone living and visiting this beach agrees that is the best way to keep the peace here.
If you watch long enough, you just might see some of the strangest things at Ocean Beach. It's the criminal activity though the San Diego police are most focused.
“Great idea. I don't mind cameras whatever keeps us safer around here,” resident Magda Cubik said.
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Long time OB resident Magda Cubik takes her son for a sun set stroll on dog beach most evening. While police didn't decide where to mount the cameras, dog beach has been a trouble spot.
Just last month Regina Lovato, says her Maltese named Aria died after she was attacked by another dog four times her size. There was no way to identify who to hold accountable.
Security cameras are already operating in the area. You see them at the western division police substation in the pier parking lot. They are on businesses in the area.
The Ocean Beach Hotel has a live video feed of boardwalk activates you can peek at any time online.
“Beach is a public space so I don't feel like anything watching us is any more like other people watching us,” Cubik said.
While the video feed is 24 hours a day it will not be monitored . Police say the recordings will help solve crimes, identify suspects and perhaps even act as a deterrent.
Some visitors say the money is better spent on more effective ways to achieve the same goals.
If there were more police patrolling the area that might suffice better than just security cameras watching everything,” visitor Tommy Channing said.
“It's more important putting money into the community maybe supporting the homeless or maybe some of the poorer families,” visitor Kate Rocha said.
San Diego Police use security cameras to investigate targeted areas in the past but not to this level of sophistication.
You may come to ocean beach for the sunset just know you'll soon be part of the view.
How long the video is stored, who gets to view it or make copies besides police are issues that will likely be debated.
The program just secured funding.
