Attack at La Crosse dog park leads to addition of mobile cameras

City has done this in past to slow illegal activity

An attack on a small dog in a La Crosse dog park that led to hundreds in veterinary bills for its owner had led the city to put up cameras in that area.

“It’s something we’re trying to do just as a precautionary measure, to see what happens at the park,” Park board president and city council member Ryan Cornett said, “but also, when you have a camera on you, people act a little different.”

This addition is nothing new.

“Whenever we have a scenario arise where there’s drug activity, vandalism, etc., we can put these mobile cameras up to check out the situation,” Cornett said.

A couple cameras have been up in Riverside Park and operated by police for the last year.

But, the parks department has dispatched mobile cameras in other parks to keep tabs on occasional criminal activity, Cornett mentioned

“One scenario was on Copeland, where we had a lot of drug activity and it really cleaned up the area, and with extra police enforcement it helped,” Cornett said. “So, I’m thinking in most cases, it does help.”