There has been a lot of debate about the new police cameras that have been being quietly installed over the last few years. Well actually I don’t think there has been enough debate. No one seems to really care. Heres some quotes from an article I found. There a little lengthy but an interesting look into the debate.
“A batch of 50 upgraded cameras to be installed later this year will have sensors to detect bullets whizzing through the air, relaying the precise location of gunfire to dispatchers to alert nearby squad cars.
But as Chicago police expand their $3.5 million “Operation Disruption” — one of the nation’s most aggressive uses of surveillance cameras to curb violent crime — residents and lawmakers are divided over whether the cameras are effective or an invasion of privacy that brands their neighborhoods as ghettos.
“It seems prejudiced to me,” said Abdul Bucky, 40, who works within sight of a camera at Deal Beauty Supply and General Merchandise in East Garfield Park. “Why didn’t they put them in all the neighborhoods?”
The cameras, which can film day or night, are protected in white bulletproof cases about the size of a small file cabinet and emblazoned with the Chicago Police Department seal.
State Sen. Rickey Hendon has sponsored legislation to limit the number of devices police install and to get rid of the small, constantly twinkling blue strobe lights on each camera. Hendon said the lights have led people to label the neighborhoods “blue light districts.”
“I think they’re a violation of people’s civil liberties,” said Hendon, who said he has received complaints from residents who fear the cameras can zoom into their windows. “People going about their everyday lives shouldn’t be spied on by Big Brother.”
City officials said the cameras are not used to peer into private homes and that they intend to protect people’s privacy.
A spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union in Illinois said the group considers the cameras constitutional as long as police use them solely to monitor street crime, although privacy questions likely will mount as more cameras go up.
“There really should be a societal public-policy debate, with an eye toward ensuring there are specific regulations in place that protect against an invasion of privacy,” ACLU spokesman Ed Yohnka said.”
But when it really comes down to it Chicago did lead the nation in murders the year before this article was written so maybe our civil liberties are worth saving a few lives. But maybe just maybe they should focus on getting rid of the guns. But theres no money in that. guns are big bizznes and so are these cameras I guess. Think about it?
and I’m out,
Action Jackson.
Ohh yeah and I know other countries have it worse.