Township Enters into Agreement with Skywatch Program

The South Brunswick Township Council voted on Tuesday to execute  

The resolution passed by a vote of 4-1, with Councilman John O'Sullivan casting the lone vote against the agreement. O'Sullivan did not elaborate on his vote at Tuesday's meeting, but during a previous discussion of the platform said he had some concerns about Skywatch.

"I would vote against using this because I've always been against big brother,"  "There are other ways to watch a crowd. You can keep an eye on people without being 20 feet up in the air."

The "Skywatch" mobile observation towers are adaptable for cameras, radios, public address systems and other equipment that allows one police officer to cover a large area, according to the company's web site. The platform provides a bird's eye view of large events with technology ideal for large-scale surveillance, according to "Skywatch."

Entering into the agreement with the county carries no cost for the township and using the platform would cost South Brunswick about $800 per day, according to Chief Raymond Hayducka.

At the previous discussion of the program, council members were less than enthusiastic about usage of the platform, mentioning the Independence Day festival as the only township event where use of Skywatch would be warranted.

However, since entering into the agreement carries no cost, council members said Skywatch could provide a useful option should the township wish to utilize the platform.

"I didn't see much of a raging need for this besides once a year," Deputy Mayor Chris Killmurray at the previous council meeting. "But I'm comfortable executing this agreement because there's no cost to us."