DOUGLAS, Ariz. (KGUN) — In late 2024, the Calvary Cemetery in Douglas was vandalized, leading the City of Douglas to purchase security cameras for public areas of the city. The City is in the middle of installing 18 new cameras to help with its safety concerns.
“We can try to cover as much ground as we can to prevent vandalism and destruction of property when it comes to our veterans and also our loved ones that are buried here in the cemetery,” said Douglas Mayor Jose Grijalva.
The acts of vandalism that prompted the need for cameras occurred back in December, when a suspect was allegedly seen removing flowers and flags from the graves of veterans at the cemetery. From that incident came a solution.
"I think, you know, there's a blessing that comes out of these things,” Grijalva said.
The blessing, he says, is a decrease in vandalism since the city first announced its plan to add cameras.
"Because of our expediting the process of getting these cameras, and I think that the community is more vigilant in that, you know, looking out for each other,” Grijalva said.
The cameras are being installed at the cemetery, the city pool and basketball courts. Grijalva says the cameras are able to cover a large area.
"It also gives people a peace of mind that they're being protected," he said. "They're being watched in public places, we get a lot of complaints, you know, about things going on at the park.”
This is just the first batch of cameras to go up. The mayor says he isn't opposed to adding more, in other areas of the city.
"That's taxpayer money going back to the taxpayers," Grijalva said. "I've gotten asked about G Avenue too, because there's been some vandalism there throughout the year. As long as we can protect our community, I'm all for it.
“Hopefully the vandalism drops, the destruction drops because they're being seen, and if we have to take extra measures on that I'm open-minded to it.”
The rest of the cameras should be installed by the end of the week, but Grijalva is hoping that the community will still voice its concerns when it comes to safety, so that he and the city can address them.
"I'm around people and I have Facebook, you know, so I see the comments, and a lot of the times with my predecessors, it was all, they're not going to do anything, they're not going to do anything. So I just want our constituents to know that I see those comments and I'm working to do what's best for the community," Grijalva said.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
