Police report: two December shootings, cameras credited with helping identify suspects

Chief of Police Troy Haber reported to the Public Safety Committee on Jan. 13 that the department handled higher call volumes in December and made arrests tied to two shooting incidents.

Haber said November’s totals were ‘‘670 calls in the month’’ and that December saw 780 calls with 67 arrests. On two December incidents in Shady Oaks, officers initially found little at the scene but review of surveillance cameras showed vehicles leaving quickly, which enabled investigators to follow leads and make arrests. 'Those cameras are definitely out there doing its job,' Haber said.

Haber described the camera footage as crucial to the investigations and credited officers for following leads from video; he said that without the cameras the cases may have lacked viable leads. The committee thanked police staff and asked that routine patrol and enforcement continue.

What’s next: Police will continue investigations where necessary and work with licensing and code-enforcement staff on compliance checks tied to liquor-license enforcement.

Direct quote: 'Those cameras are definitely out there doing its job,' Chief Haber said, describing camera-assisted identification of vehicles that left shooting scenes.