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Friday, February 10, 2012
E-mails reveal city's talks on security cameras
by Kathleen Haley, published on July 30, 2009 at 10:40 PM
Storyline: Police / Public Safety
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Photo: Mayor Kevin Johnson has mentioned K Street and Regional Transit stations as possible locations for new surveillance cameras.
The Sacramento Police Department and Mayor Kevin Johnson’s office anticipated a battle with the local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union over the city's plans to buy 32 surveillance cameras, e-mails show.
The debate between the Sacramento County chapter of the ACLU and the Sacramento Police Department over the effectiveness of surveillance cameras is revealed in documents obtained by The Sacramento Press.
The ACLU argues that surveillance cameras do not cut crime. Norm Leong, spokesman for the police department, said that security cameras already help the police department to combat crime.
The locations for the cameras have not yet been selected, and the money has not yet been received by the police department, Leong said. The cameras and other related equipment would be paid for with a $615,000 grant from the Homeland Security Administration.
In May 19 and June 1 e-mail messages between police department managers and staffers at the offices of Mayor Kevin Johnson and City Councilman Rob Fong, Capt. Ken Bernard of the Sacramento Police Department alerted officials about the ACLU’s concerns.
“This is a heads up regarding the camera grant," Bernard wrote. "The ACLU is going to be fighting us accepting the grant, so I thought we should all be prepared to address potential council concerns.”
Bernard then addressed Chief Rick Braziel in the e-mail message: “Chief--it appears that the mayor may be trying to get you involved in a conference call to address the ACLU’s concerns.”
In the e-mail, Bernard also asked whether the city had conducted research on the effectiveness of surveillance cameras.
“Has anyone involved in the writing of the grant done any research as to their effectiveness?” he wrote. “Might be nice if can quote some stats or have some talking points to counter the ACLU’s position. Thoughts?”
*Photo by Sacramento Press staff reporter Suzanne Hurt.
Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press.
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Cheers,
Kathleen
That, and the grant only covers installing the cameras. It does not cover paying for staff to maintain and secure them, much less review footage or investigate potential crimes. Since money will have to be spent on headcount somewhere that comes from inside the city, I would rather it be spent on more investigators than on camera babysitters.
Doe anybody honestly think those gang-bangers riding light rail at all times of the day and night have paid their fares? Maybe they are using their student passes when they are riding the rails during the school day.