Candidates criticize Aguiar administration over malfunctioning city center security cameras

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City council candidate Evelyn Hobson-Womack criticized the city’s handling of installing security cameras at a press conference this morning.

The city authorized the security camera project in August 2019 under the supervision of Laura Jens-Smith using more than $ 160,000 in block grants funds for community development and $ 36,000 in community benefits funds paid by a solar energy developer. The project has progressed and some cameras have even been installed on lampposts, but without liaison with the police station.

Hobson-Womack was joined by City Councilor Catherine Kent, candidate for City Supervisor, next to one of the cameras in Grangebel Park this morning. Hobson-Womack said residents should feel safe day and night at the park, which hosts community events like Reflextions: Art in the Park.

This security system was purchased with grants at no cost to the taxpayer, Hobson-Womack said. Not only would the police department benefit from having a 24/7 view of our downtown, but active security cameras would add an extra layer of security as a powerful crime deterrent. Retired Riverhead Police Detective Evelyn Hobson-Womack, right, at her press conference in Grangebel Park today. Also in the photo, City Councilor Catherine Kent. Photo: Alek Lewis

Hobson-Womack, who retired from the Riverhead Police Department last month after 28 years of service, said the two robberies that took place downtown this week, one in the First Street parking lot and the other at the Chase Bank next to the park might not have happened. at all if working cameras helped our police officers, offered a powerful crime deterrent, or at least provided a recording to help them solve the crime, she said.

I’m here to ask why, almost two years after this huge investment in the safety and security of our city, do we need to talk about it now? How can something like this be overlooked or ignored or just not deemed important enough for your safety? Hobson-Womack said.

Photo: Alek Lewis

The city is currently in a verbal agreement and has no written contract with Optimum for the equipment to operate the cameras, according to Deputy City Attorney Daniel McCormick. McCormick said he emailed Optimum for an update and was waiting to hear the status of the equipment.

City supervisor Yvette Aguiar told RiverheadLOCAL this morning that she did not know the details of the deal with Optimum, but said the city was waiting on Optimum for cabling and relay boxes for the cameras. She said the city has a meeting with Optimum about the project later this week.

Should [Kent] contacted us, she would have had a better understanding of the state of Optimum and the infrastructure issues we are addressing, Aguiar said.

Kent said she repeatedly raised the issue of cameras at the attorneys’ office and in working sessions when the chief of police was present, but failed to get adequate responses.

I made several attempts to follow through on this, but again, the supervisor’s closed-door policy and lack of solid work-session agendas are difficult to move projects forward, said Kent, a Democrat who seeks to overthrow Aguiar in November.

Hobson-Womack addressed city council at its meeting this afternoon, where she read similar comments. During the meeting, Aguiar characterized Hobson-Womack’s comments as relating to this week’s ongoing flight investigations, then criticized her for discussing ongoing police investigations, accusing the retired detective of having victimized the victims. Hobson-Womack did not discuss the ongoing investigation other than to say that the cameras could both deter crimes and help police solve them. Aguiar also criticized Hobson-Womack for “campaigning” at the city council meeting.

At the end of his address to Grangebel, Hobson-Womack took some time to launch his campaign for city council. The first African-American woman to serve as a police officer in Riverhead, she announced her candidacy for city council on the Democratic ticket in February.

I’m not a politician and I don’t want to be, said Hobson-Womack. I want to be a servant and a voice for our community without all the policies that have divided us. I don’t know everything. Hell, some will say I don’t know anything at all. I may not have all the answers to everything. But I promise you what I don’t know, I don’t mind reaching out to my constituents to become more informed. But not just them, I would never hesitate to engage with the community and get their consensus on some policies and issues like this.

Hobson-Womack is one of four people vying for two seats in the November election: the vacant Kents seat and the seat currently held by City Councilor Ken Rothwell, who has been appointed to fill the seat left vacant by the MP Jodi Giglio when she took her seat in Albany. . Rothwell and Chamber of Commerce President Robert Kern are on the Republican candidates against Hobson-Womack and Juan Micieli-Martinez on the Democratic ticket.

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