Cameras at tourist locations delayed

By Catherine E. Toth
Advertiser Staff Writer

The installation of surveillance cameras in two high-crime tourist spots on O'ahu has been postponed to mid-September.

In June, the Hawai'i Tourism Authority approved $67,500 to pay for cameras to be set up at Pali Lookout and 'Ehukai Beach parking lots as part of a project to reduce theft.

HTA had hoped to install the cameras this summer, during the peak of visitor arrivals. The plan was to evaluate the cameras' effectiveness in October.

But contracting took longer than anticipated, said Muriel Anderson, the authority's director of tourism programs.

The pilot program will last four to five months, Anderson said, with an assessment to follow.

HTA is also planning visitor and resident education programs to raise awareness of crime risks and how they affect tourism.

Pali Lookout and 'Ehukai Beach — known for the famous Pipeline surf break — were selected for the pilot program because of police reports documenting car break-ins and stolen valuables. HTA wanted to pick one urban location and another in a rural area, Anderson said.

Similar technology in Chinatown and Waikiki has helped reduce crime, HTA has said.

The state Department of Land and Natural Resources and its enforcement division, and the Honolulu Police Department are expected to provide support for the project.

"We've always been involved in the after-the-fact end of (tourist safety)," Anderson said. "And we've always supported (programs addressing the issue). But this is more of a preventative measure. This is more proactive."

Reach Catherine E. Toth at 535-8103 or ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.