COLUMBIA -- A Columbia mother and son fighting to keep their city safe have turned in more than 3,600 signatures on a petition to put more surveillance cameras in downtown Columbia.

Their petition submitted to the Boone County Clerk needs about 2,500 signatures from registered voters for validation.

Karen and Adam Taylor want more surveillance cameras because Adam was beaten and robbed in a downtown parking garage in June.

A security camera in the Tenth and Cherry Streets parking garage helped arrest five Adam’s seven attackers.

The petition could be validated as soon as next week.

Columbia city council members would then have 30 days to issue a final vote on the petition.

If the council rejects the petition, voters would then decide on the issue on the upcoming April ballot.

This past summer, Columbia police tested four mobile security cameras on downtown streets.

Council members had them removed because of complaints that they violated privacy laws and civil liberties.

“I don’t believe there is privacy on a public street,' Karen Taylor said. "I don’t understand the difference between on the public street and in the garage. They are already placed in the garage.  I don’t think the right to privacy issue is a valid one.”

The Taylors have also set up a website called keepcolumbiasafe.com in support of mobile security cameras in downtown Columbia.

Their petition would also give Police Chief Ken Burton the power of deciding where to place the proposed downtown surveillance cameras.