Clay Co. Library Adding Outdoor Security Cameras

The Clay County Library will soon have new security cameras on the outside of the building following the approval of the county commission.

County Sheriff Brandon Boone says a recent increase in suspicious activity caused library officials to propose the new cameras.

“The library has public WiFi which causes some people during after-hours to congregate behind the building to access the internet,” Boone says. “We have found in the last few months on a regular basis syringes, drug paraphernalia, and other material that causes some concern for health and safety.”

Boone says his department will assist the library in finding a security system with motion-activated cameras to help catch or prevent additional suspicious activity.

County Mayor Dale Reagan says the decision to help the library add security cameras was an obvious choice.

“They didn’t really give us a timeline, but we’re going to try and do this as quickly as possible,” Reagan says. “We’re just trying to research now. I talked with (Sheriff Boone) yesterday and he’s looking at different brands… the quickest we can find one we feel like is going to be sufficient, we’re going to try and get it in as quickly as possible.”

Boone says the cameras will be key in helping protect visitors and employees at the library.

“We’ll be able to identify a lot of the people that are congregating there in the area, littering, and disposing of drug paraphernalia,”  Boone says. “I think the cameras will really make a big impact on that.”

Reagan says a total cost of installing the security cameras has not been finalized at this time. The county commission will ultimately approve the cameras and budget once a system is selected by the sheriff’s office and the library.