Recreation Centers of Sun City officials are considering adding an eye in the sky at some of its facilities.
A number of incidents over the past several years -- including a theft of a golf car --has prompted officials to research the possibility of adding video surveillance to recreation centers in the community.
“The exteriors and the parking lots were the focus,” said Chris Herring during the board’s Sept. 26 meeting.
He discussed the results of his research and it was expected additional discussion would take place during the board’s Oct. 14 meeting. However, results of that meeting were not available at press time.
The board is expected to address the issue during its next meeting, 9 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 31 in the auditorium of the Sudial Recreation Center, 14801 N. 103rd Ave.
Sun City resident Jean Nelson believes a video surveillance system at RCSC facilities could have helped her. She had her golf car stolen from a recreation center parking lot in late-September. When going into the facility, she noticed a truck parked in the lot with a small cargo trailer.
“I don’t know that whomever had that truck took my golf car, but cameras might have been able to show one way or the other,” she said. “I hope the cameras will happen.”
Ms. Nelson said her home camera surveillance system caught someone trying to steal her neighbor’s golf car.
Resident Randall Pearson agreed cameras would be helpful.
“I was at a recreation center and saw a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office deputy taking a report of a golf car stolen in broad daylight,” he said.
Mr. Herring reported to the board that he had to research some other options as a company he had been getting information from suddenly dropped the system he was researching. However, he explained one of the biggest challenges RCSC officials face with a surveillance system is storage space for the videos. Most systems are designed for videos to feed into one storage location and they have only so much capacity. The number of cameras feeding into the storage is also a factor. That could be addressed with storage systems actually on the cameras, according to Mr. Herring.
“But that option is a little spendy,” he added.
There are also challenges with clarity at some RCSC parking lots because they are so large.
“The cameras are set for zones, and the more distant the zone (the less) clarity,” he said.
RCSC parking lots that have solar panels also present challenges with sight lines for cameras mounted on rec center structures.
“Our line of sight ranges from 41% to 80% considering all our parking lots,” Mr. Herring said.
One RCSC facility is a bit ahead of the game.

“The new pro shop at South Golf Course was designed with video surveillance in mind,” Mr. Herring said.
For a surveillance system that covered RCSC’s parking lots, Mr. Herring estimated a cost of $400,000 with the original company he had been talking to. Mr. Herring believes the cost would be similar with other providers.
RCSC’s Long Range Planning Committee also recognized a need for video surveillance of facilities.
“Technology will most likely dominate our access to and use of facilities,” a committee report stated. “Examples are security cameras monitoring public areas, electronic access and accounting using the RCSC identification card/phone app.”
The committee recommended the RCSC board direct the general manager to research and recommend a camera security system for installation at all RCSC facilities by March 31, 2020.