Surveillance camera contract expired before alleged rape, Port Authority to install new system

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - A suspect has yet to be arrested in the alleged rape that happened in early January along the river front in Kansas City. In fact, on Wednesday, police reported no new leads.

The Kansas City Port Authority originally reported its cameras didn’t record at night , therefore couldn’t provide any evidence for police. However, 41 Action News uncovered new information.

The contract for Port Authority surveillance camera service expired in September of 2011. It was never renewed.

So, between September and the end of December, the cameras were operable but didn’t record. Then, starting in 2012, the cameras were turned off.

Port Authority president Michael Collins told 41 Action News reporter Beth Vaughn the group is in the middle of a bidding process for a new camera system. Replacing the cameras with technology that records at night will cost the Port Authority upwards of $50,000.

He explained, “So, it's not just getting new cameras, it's also finding power for those cameras to monitor for day and night time surveillance.”

Collins said Wednesday the cameras were not working at the time of the rape. However, he knows they wouldn’t have made a difference in the police investigation.

“Those cameras wouldn't have shown virtually anything at night, maybe a glimmer of light,” he said. “It actually wouldn't have helped. Unfortunately, any scenario, whether they were on or completely in operable."

The Port Authority’s old system was never meant to protect people.

Collins said, “They were never in place to monitor person to person criminal activity.”

In fact, he said the system was meant to curb a graffiti and tagging problem that was causing the Port Authority up to $30,000 a year. Collins said they haven’t faced violent crime problems in the area until the alleged rape on Jan. 7.

He hopes to have a new camera system up and running by the end of March.