West New York Mayor Felix Roque is calling for more municipal surveillance cameras to be installed around the city in the wake of a deadly shooting.
City resident Steven Flores was gunned down just before Christmas and there weren’t any surveillance cameras around the area. Roque says that there aren’t enough in the city.
“I believe in prevention. I believe in acting before things happen,” he says.
Roque says he wants to see cameras added to more than 20 locations throughout West New York. It would cost the city $500,000.
But the idea is controversial to some, including West New York City commissioner Gabriel Rodriguez, who is running against Roque in this year’s mayoral race. Rodriguez says that Roque is using the Flores shooting as a political issue.
"This has to do with him using political tricks to posture,” the commissioner says.
Rodriguez adds that he thinks Roque is being underhanded when it comes to purchasing the cameras.
“You can’t just obtain $500,000 in security system or camera system from one day to another. No. 2, it was in complete disregard to my commission,” he says.
The mayor says that he would seek private funding for the cameras since city commissioners voted against his resolution to purchase them.
West New York's mayoral election is in May.