Surveillance cameras coming to metro Atlanta's national parks

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - A lot of law enforcement agencies around metro Atlanta are using license plate reader cameras. Now you'll see them in some national parks.

The Chattahoochee River National Recreation area covers a lot of land that can be challenging to patrol.

"Rangers can't be everywhere at all times," said Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area Chief Ranger Jeston Fisher.

Fisher says now they're getting some extra help, thanks to technology.

"Flock cameras are being installed at different Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area units to aid law enforcement and emergency services and serve the public. It's a force multiplier for us," he said.

"I generally feel pretty safe here, but it's busy, and smash-and-grabs happen," said Walker Harris, who just finished riding his bike at the park.

The Chattahoochee National Park Conservancy raised the money for the cameras.

The third one just went up at the Interstate North/Cochran Shoals area. Another camera that was installed earlier this year helped lead to an arrest after a wallet was stolen from a parked car.

"Rangers were able to utilize the Flock cameras and be able to track that person, find out where he went to use stolen credit cards, and were able to track him down," said Fisher.

James Saxon comes to the park two or three times a week. He thinks that the license plate readers will be helpful.

"If there are ways that we can make people who commit crimes in places like this, which should be safe and good places to be, then I think we should deploy those types of things," said Saxon.

In addition to criminal activity, the cameras can also assist in finding missing people.