A surveillance camera that has recorded activities at the corner of Beaver Avenue and McAllister Street since September 2003 is being moved today to the corner of Calder Way and McAllister Alley.

After a review of last year's crime rates, a citizens' advisory committee decided that Calder Way was a more dangerous area than Beaver Avenue because of the alley's isolation and low number of cars and pedestrians, State College Police Department Chief Tom King said.

"There was a disproportionate amount of pedestrian activity on Calder after bar closings," King said.

He cited public drunkenness, fights, public urination and vandalism as examples of incidents that commonly occur on Calder Way. Police said they hope these problems will decrease with the installation of the camera, which will cost about $4,000.

In September 2003, three cameras were installed on Beaver Avenue at the intersections with McAllister Street, Locust Lane and Hiester Street amid opposition from both the community and students.

Student representatives on the advisory committee expressed their general feeling that Calder Way was more of a concern than an area like Beaver Avenue, King said.

Off-Campus Student Union President Ryan Bennington, who was part of the commission that recommended the move, said he hopes the camera will alleviate crimes, specifically fighting and sexual assaults, in the area.

"We felt that Calder Way was one of the most important areas for the camera to be," Bennington said. "The street is one of the most neglected areas downtown and is an unsafe area."

State College Borough Council approved the move last spring by a 5-2 vote, with Tom Daubert and Elizabeth Goreham opposed, Goreham said.

"The idea of the government having cameras on people bothers me," Goreham said. "I'd rather hire another police officer. People paying taxes for cameras is not right."

While there was a lot of opposition to the original installation of the cameras, there have been no problems with moving the camera, she added.

Though Borough Council approved the move more than a year ago, factors such as weather and scheduling led to delay of the installation, said Tim Grattan, the borough's information technology director.

Beginning in August after the Borough Council's approval, auxiliary officers from Penn State University Police began monitoring the cameras during prime hours of activity, from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, King said.

This live monitoring has been helpful in breaking up fights quickly, he added.

King said the move of the camera will likely change the police coverage during the night when bars close and help decrease crime.

McAllister Alley will be closed from about 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. today for the installation.