You better watch out, you better not shout. Oops, it's not Christmas but in downtown Columbia, you better watch out.
The long awaited video cameras are being installed. Previously just inside and outside the police station and borough hall, along with the Market House, the cameras are being installed throughout the downtown on traffic signals at Third and Locust, Fourth and Locust and Fifth and Locust streets, along with other areas.
The cameras, which were first approved by council a while back, are being installed as a way to cutdown on crime and vandalism in the downtown and other areas.
Will they help? Only time will tell. Were they needed? Probably. Will they work? Perhaps, but it will now take the alleged problems downtown and force them onto other streets. Who is watching the video of the cameras and how much is being spent on the tapes?
12 comments:
You raise a good question. Who will be watching the cameras and who will access to them. What are the polices regarding the captured video? I would hope there is some sort of non-profit, NON-GOVERNMENT agency in charge of monitoring the cameras, such as is the case in Lancaster. (I doubt there are
No tapes, all digital.
Jesse from ColumbiaPaOnline.com says... "I talked with Leo the other week about the cameras, and it is my understanding that there are to be 23 cameras, most located in the downtown district. There will also be a few others installed in other locations not disclosed that are high in crime within the borough. There will also be cameras at the Borough farm. Leo also says that he Police will monitor the camera system, and the public will NOT have access to it. I hope this helps Barry! See you in the morning for my cup of Joe!
Jesse (ColumbiaPaOnline.com)
where's the one for the 400 block of union?you can be outside in front of your house and get high from the smell of weed and you can also see the drug deals.the one where you get in car and drive around the block.c'mon camera,we need ya.
More tax dollares wasted by the police department!! That is why Leo wanted to hire another one, to watch the cams... Robert
The Lancaster Safety Commission seems to have strict guidelines covering the use of the cameras in the city. For one, I noticed on their website http://www.lancastercsc.org that cameras mask views that enter a private persons home or property. Will this be the case in Columbia? Having a government agency in control of the cameras is a bad idea. Perhaps some thought should have gone into this and a private, non-profit agency, should be in charge, such is the case in Lancaster.
In reference to the comment about "more tax dollars wasted by the Police department"... these cameras were neither requested nor installed by the Police department. This is something that has come from the Borough Council. The Police had nothing to do with these cameras. If you want someone to blame, blame Borough Manager Meiskey and the Borough council.
u igits why all the negativity, why look for blaming someone, give this project a chance. If it proves to be a crime deterrent one for the good guys. Give it a chance then discuss if it is worthwhile, don't pre judge. Oh and make sure you are not one that will be on candid camera. You know where to reach me I will debate with anyone, anywhere!!!!!!!
In my opinion, the possibility of deterring crime is overshadowed by the erosion of the rights of those who are law abiding and the possibility of misuse by those who have access to the cameras. By the way, who will have access to the video, will it be the police, the mayor, the borough council, the borough manager, friends of all the aforementioned, the list could go on and on. I would like to see the policies regarding the use of the cameras made public, if such a policy exists. The comment in an earlier post “Oh and make sure you are not (THE) one that will be on candid camera” should bring concern among everyone. Just what does that mean? With the number of camera’s being installed, I would believe the chance of your activity being captured on camera is highly likely. Should we be concerned that our personal activity, such as where we go or who we are associating with is being captured on video and subject to judgment of the viewer? Will we have to be concerned that our activity, no matter how lawful, will be shared with people we would otherwise not share it with? The cameras are here so we will have to see how it plays out. I hope those behind the scenes understand the great responsibility that goes with it.
Doesn't bring concern to me. There is no expectation of privacy in a public space (and very limited privacy in an area that can be observed from a public space). You are already on various private camera systems. I don't understand the double standard here.
Lancaster city has had cameras for a couple years, and there was a group of people that were damn sure that they would be successful in getting the cameras removed due to "privacy" concerns. Yeah, so tell me how that worked out...
The difference between the cameras in Lancaster and our cameras is the fact the cameras in Lancaster are monitored by a non-profit, non-government agency. The Lancaster Crime Coalition has strict guidelines and policies regarding the use of the cameras. What are the polices in Columbia?
Isn't one of the major issues, that it *is* a non-profit, non-government agency monitoring the Lancaster cams? With limited accountability?
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