NASHVILLE, Tenn.- The “Eye in the Sky” is helping to make Music City a bit safer. Metro police say those high tech security cameras posted around downtown have helped to reduce crime significantly. One of those cameras helped in solving a crime recently. Last weekend there was a shooting on 2nd Avenue. The camera caught the whole thing, and the police were able to get a great description of the suspect and his vehicle. He was arrested shortly there after. That’s just one example of how these cameras are bringing extra safety to the area.

Michael Crawley, the man arrested in the 2nd Avenue shooting, has actually been arrested nearly 80 times on more than 100 different charges.

Metro cops say they are certainly glad to have him off the street.

Downtown Nashville was bustling as usual Friday. Visitors were in and out of shops, and traffic along 2nd Avenue was bumper to bumper.

Damian Huggins, commander of the Central Precinct says crime in the area has taken a dip thanks to an unlikely partner always on the lookout.

“If you can see a blue light flashing from a camera downtown, we can see you on camera,” said Commander Damin Huggins with Metro Police Department.

“We saw it way up yonder and was amazed at what it was, trying to figure out what it was way down here blinking,” said a visitor to Nashville, Bill Handy.

Initially, Handy had no idea what was hanging in the box on the light post, but the visitor from Georgia is certainly glad to know the eye in the sky is watching.

“I think it’s a good thing any time you do that,” said Handy.

Officers say if you need an example of action in work, just look at the recent arrest of Michael Crawley. They say Crawly shot a man last weekend on 2nd Ave. and the whole thing was caught by surveillance camera.

The department uses these cameras to track high crime areas such as parking lot. They focus the lens on the area in efforts to either stop a crime in progress or get all the information they need to make an arrest later.

That comes as comfort to those simply hoping for a safe and simple Friday hanging out downtown.

Source: Channel 5 News