The public safety and health committee of the Stamford board of representatives met Thursday to discuss possible police use of traffic cameras in criminal investigations.

Authorities say private cameras are invaluable in catching criminals and want to include the city's 26 traffic cameras as a resource. To accommodate them, Stamford officials would have to change a 1999 ordinance that specifically states the cameras can only be used to monitor traffic.

Many residents say they feel the use of the cameras would be a serious invasion of privacy, while others say security is more important.