City of Byron Considers Forcing Liquor Stores to Use Security Cameras

A city in Middle Georgia is considering a new law that would require any store that sells liquor to have a high-tech security system. Leaders in the City of Byron believe this is a proactive way to reduce crime.

Convenience stores, grocery stores and liquor stores would fall under the ordinance that would require businesses to have a security system.

“They’re normally high targets for crimes,” Lt. Bryan Hunter with the Byron Police Department said. “We just want to be sure we can help [and] use whatever we can to solve crimes.”

The law would force business owners to install high tech cameras throughout the store and give police access to the footage in the event of a crime. Bryon police would also check the systems monthly for any problems.

“There’s not a rash of crime in Byron, Georgia but we want the public to know, particularly the criminal element of the public to know, if you commit a crime in Byron, Georgia you’re going to get caught, you’ll be prosecuted, you’ll be identified,” Byron Mayor Larry Collins said.

Many stores throughout Byron have a security system in place, but that’s not always the case.

“We have cameras all throughout this location inside, we have cameras outside,” Matthew Brown, store manager of Freshway Supermarket in Byron, said. “It’s about safety, to keep the customers who are shopping safe.”

“We had one store in town that the owner refused to put a camera in,” Hunter said. “There were several crimes that we never could solve because we had no evidence or good description, suspects, anything to go on.”

The law is something the city and police believe Byron needs to keep the community safe.

“It’s a win win situation for everybody,” Hunter said. “Us trying to solve the crimes and the business owners and property owners to try to prevent the crimes.”