Scranton?s plan to allow private, existing video surveillance cameras to feed into a network at the city?s police headquarters would be like having extra eyes on the streets, Police Chief Carl Graziano said.

A community video-camera surveillance network would involve private surveillance cameras in the city, such as those at banks, businesses or colleges, to link to the police station on South Washington Avenue.

There, a wall of 32 video monitors would show live feeds from the privately owned and operated surveillance cameras, most of which already exist in public areas.

?It?s going to be a second set of eyes,? Chief Graziano said of a video surveillance camera network.

The Police Department won?t record the feeds, he said. The idea is that if a crime is reported in an area where surveillance cameras exist and feed into police headquarters, officers there can view the feeds to see if they are transmitting pertinent images, such as suspects fleeing, he said.

?It becomes a force multiplier,? the chief said. ?We?ll know where the cameras are. If there?s a bank robbery, an officer can look at the cameras? in that area.

The network also could be used proactively, he said. For example, if cameras are in parks, police could monitor those feeds to see if anyone is there after dark when they are not supposed to be there, he said.

?It?s difficult for police to be everywhere,? Chief Graziano said.