Grant County May Use Cameras To Fight Crime

MOSES LAKE – Cameras may soon become the latest weapon the Grant County Sheriff’s Office is using against gang activity in the county.

Grant County Undersheriff John Turley says there are 300 members of gangs in and around Moses Lake and they have had 20 gang related shootings since January. Turley says they are worried about the increased numbers as well as a resurgence of motorcycle gangs in the area.

“We are seeing a lot more gang members coming to Moses Lake from California and their crimes are becoming increasingly more violent,” Turley explained.

To help track gang activities the sheriff’s office plans to install cameras in areas where gang related crime, graffiti, and neighborhood vandalism are occurring.

“The cameras will be used to stop basic gang activity, everything from graffitit or actual violence … motion sensor or it’ll start taking picutres at a certain time and they can be put on anything where you can see a distance,” Turley said.

Turley hopes the new equipment will help identify suspects involved in crimes and help document vandalism and property damage more efficiently.

If county officials approve the expenditure for the new cameras they could be set up from Mattawa in the west to Warden and Moses Lake in the eastern portion of the county.