"It absolutely needs to be done," said Tim Haverly, security chief at the Marine Surf Waikiki Hotel. "You either have to pay for some form of prevention or possibly have a disastrous impact on your visitor industry."

Broken glass from car break-ins and reports of stolen valuables are common at both the Pali Lookout and 'Ehukai, near the famous Pipeline surf break on the North Shore.

The goal of the project, to run through the busy summer season until October, is to determine whether the wireless video surveillance cameras can help reduce crime rates in tourist areas and help convict those committing the crimes.

Similar technology in Chinatown and Waikiki has helped to deter, apprehend and convict criminals, according to the tourism authority.

"We need to keep Hawai'i a very safe place," said Rex Johnson, executive director of the tourism authority. Car break-ins are "becoming an ever-increasing problem."

Johnson said the cameras are an interim step, and the authority also will come up with a statewide security plan for parks and other places that tourists frequent. It will include efforts to educate visitors and increase their awareness of crime risks.

Pali Lookout and 'Ehukai Beach were selected based on crime statistics and input from Honolulu Police Department and Department of Land and Natural Resources, visits to sites and use by visitors.

Some tourism authority board members initially were hesitant about paying for the pilot project for fear that the board would be held responsible for paying for a permanent crime-fighting project they believed did not fall under the responsibility of the authority, which primarily focuses on tourism marketing.

But crime cuts into the allure of paradise and hurts efforts to promote the Islands.

"I think the board feels like we need to do something," authority board chairman Mike McCartney said.

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

The tourism authority will operate one surveillance camera at each site after it executes a contract for the system with Sensormatic Hawaii Inc.

The cameras will be monitored 24 hours a day by Sensormatic, their contractors and law enforcement officials.

"Anything would help," hotel security chief Haverly said.