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Pittsburgh council to spend $1M on crime cameras

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh City Council plans to spend $1.1 million on surveillance cameras and gunshot detectors for a crime-ridden neighborhood.

Council members voted Tuesday to use money from the 2014 capital budget for the systems. The plan would fund the purchase of about 60 cameras and 45 gunshot sensors for the Homewood area.

Councilman Ricky Burgess said that Homewood is chronically plagued by murder and gun assaults, but Councilman Patrick Dowd said the money should be used to hire more police officers.

The vote was 7-2 in favor of the new plan.