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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Teenagers, described as unsupervised, were roaming the Central Canal on weekends in downtown Indianapolis, so a camera was installed about three weeks at the request of the neighborhood association.

In the past week, two people were shot and killed along the canal: a 24-year-old woman on early Sunday morning and a 14-year-old boy on June 29. Police say the boy tried to rob someone on the canal. This mobile surveillance camera was in place for both of those incidents.

Some residents of the area have not experienced problems along the popular walkway.

“Well, I’m here in the daytime. It is usually never an issue, you know. I’m never here towards dawn or anything like that it is always safe when I have been walking here” said downtown resident Rod McCarty

The canal is a gathering spot for all people, during the day the area families and people out for some exercise frequent the walkway.

Having a eye in the sky connected to Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department may offer some reassurance of safety.

“I think it is a great idea for safety, you know, people walking in the parks late at night or just in general with your family” said Debbie Majoros.

Indianapolis police have been using mobile surveillance cameras for more than a decade. Now, the police department has two mobile cameras that are placed in areas based on crime trends. Neighborhoods can request one by contacting the their police district’s community resource unit.

McCarty said, “Actually, I never even noticed it until they put this one up that there weren’t some surveillance cameras around.”

Typically, the department places the cameras in high crime areas or at big events in the downtown area such as the NCAA tournaments or the Super Bowl in 2012.

But has it helped deter crime at the canal?

Heidi Neuberger said, “I think to some degree it may be a deterrent, we hope. It is not going to solve any problems.”

The mobile surveillance cameras will eventually be replaced by a permanent system linked to IMPD.

Neuberger said, “Our community here is going to be part of the Beeline camera surveillance, and they will be mounting cameras on some of these houses down here showing both north and south, but they will be monitored by IMPD.”

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — For a lot of small business trying to find personal protection equipment (PPE), gloves, masks and hand santitizers are not in their daily sourcing routine.

In a few weeks, the doors of the City Dogs Grocery, 884 Massachusetts Ave., will be reopen for in-store customers. The store has been open with curbside and phone orders since the coronavirus pandemic. But as the state and city begin to reignite the economic engines, Christi Rider, the owner of City Dogs Grocery, and other small-business owners are looking for PPE.

“As for as sourcing the everyday, like hospital-type masks, no, I have not been able to,” Rider said.

On Wednesday morning, the state opened the PPE Marketplace. Luke Bosso of the Indiana Economic Development Corp. says he is helping start the system. He told News 8 that qualifying businesses and nonprofits must have 150 employees or less and be registered with the secretary of state to do business in Indiana. The size of the company will dictate just how much PPE they will get.

“Beginning on Friday, these companies will start to receive these items, will start to be delivered through out the state of Indiana. Our first initial run will include about 10,000 businesses (that) will receive PPE,” Bosso said.

Rider signed up first thing Wednesday morning, and, since City Dogs Grocery has less than 50 employees, the company can expect to receive 50 masks, a gallon of hand sanitizer along with smaller bottles of hand sanitizer, and 10 face shields. Many of her staff already have face coverings

“That way we can offer to the customer at the front door if they don’t have them available,” Rider said.

By noon Wednesday, 700 Indiana companies had signed up at PPE Marketplace. The cost of the program is covered by the federal CARES Act and the initial kits are provided at no cost. After those are gone, the state may charge for the service.

The state has 10,000 kits to distribute statewide. How long will they last is anyone guess.

Indiana coronavirus timeline