BY JIMMY LAWTON
North Country This Week

OGDENSBURG — Ogdensburg Deputy Mayor Steve Fisher says recent vandalism at the city park highlights the need for the city to install security cameras at several locations.

Ogdensburg’s new playground was recently vandalized, much to the dismay of city officials who celebrated its early opening last month.

Officials are asking anyone with information about the incident to come forward by calling 315-393-1980.

Interim City Manager Andrea Smith said the city was investigating the incident, including reviewing camera available camera footage.

“In the meantime we are exploring all possible options for increasing security, including the addition of cameras,” she said.

Ogdensburg resident Margaret Haggerty, who spoke during public comment mentioned vandalism as one of many problems facing the city.

She said the city has fallen on hard times with instances of vandalism, homicide, drugs, theft, bullying and fear becoming common.

“Where is our leadership in all this chaos?” She asked.

Although the city council didn’t discuss the matter at the Aug. 14 meeting, Fisher said plans to install cameras had been in mind since the new playground was first discussed. He said the city also needs to place cameras at other key points of interest.

“There are multiple locations in the city where I’d like to see cameras. There is a cost to it, yes, but the cost compared to a camera and a monitor in the cloud compared to dealing with an incident is worse,” he said.

Fisher, who is a retired city police officer, says it’s time for Ogdensburg to modernize. He said that aside from being a deterrent in parks, cameras are helpful tools in time stamping crimes and helping secure convictions where evidence is sparse.

He said cameras have become common use by homeowners so concerns about whether installing cameras in parks raises privacy concerns are no longer valid.

Fisher says camera’s won’t solve all problems. He said much like door locks they tend to keep “honest people honest.” But, he does believe they will help reduce instances of criminal activity and give police another tool in their investigations.

The playground opened in July and was well received by the public with the grand opening drawing well over one hundred people.

Work on the project hadn’t been expected to be completed until September.

Ogdensburg Mayor Jeffrey M. Skelly said he was pleased the contractors delivered speed and quality on the job.

Skelly said it was great to see such a great turnout at the opening and he was glad Ogdensburg’s youth would be able to enjoy the park for the rest of summer.

“It’s nice to see kids playing again. Our kids really need this,” he said.

Along with the new playground the city also opened new pickleball courts.

The mayor said they are already being used.

The new park replaces the former Kids Kingdom and is part of the construction of the city’s Dobisky Center Municipal Marina and Morrisette Park Shoreline Resiliency Improvements.