cbs2
Elaborate Camera Network To Watch Chicago
Sep 9, 2004 12:16 pm US/Central CHICAGO (CBS) Mayor Richard Daley plans to use more than 2,000 cameras across Chicago to act as hundreds of eyes that can catch suspicious scenes and alert officials to a possible terror strike. It will be like having police stationed at scores of potential trouble spots.
The citywide cameras are a hugely ambitious plan to fight crime and keep the city safe from terrorists, a security net unprecedented in its size and scope anywhere in the world.
The city's top public safety team joined Mayor Daley Thursday to launch a massive plan to integrate over 2,000 city security cameras.
This is how it would work: A caller reports a robbery on a CTA platform and a 9-1-1 dispatcher would see a map of the location and be able to call up an image of the scene from a nearby CTA security camera and relay a description to police. The operator also could use other cameras in the area to track an offender's movement.
“The goal is to use all the surveillance tools available and then to give that information to the police or fire where it can be acted on the street,” said Ron Huberman with the Office of Emergency Management.
As a terror fighting tool, the system would alert an elite group of 9-1-1 operators to unusual activity in parking lots, stairwells or highways -- any place a city agency has a camera. In addition, private building owners, including apartments and businesses, could pay a fee to add their security cameras to the system.
The city also plans to add 250 cameras in high crime or high security areas. The system could handle an unlimited number of private sector cameras, if businesses choose to participate.
The $5.1 million cost would be covered by a homeland security grant, and the system would be fully operational in spring 2006.
Mayor Daley defended the plan against critics who say the system smacks of ''big brother'' and would infringe on civil liberties.
“This is safety issue,” Daley said. “We’re not in your home or private business.” He said the cameras in the system would only be in public areas, such as sidewalks, alleys and public buildings.
At first blush, legal experts don't see any constitutional problems with Chicago’s plan. The city studied similar setups in London and Las Vegas, but this is clearly much larger.
Chicago's network, combined with the private sector video surveillance, would create an integrated security web of literally tens of thousands of cameras.
Antonio Mora
http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_253131805.html
Maybe we'll finally catch on tape the ward captains passing out new garbage cans for votes.
He loved big brother
He loved big brother
Somewhere, George Orwell is feeling some degree of satisfaction, probably not gleeful.
We are so far down the slippery slope, it's almost no use explaining to people why we need to fight.
Yes, and it will also be used to figure out new ways to further restrict and revoke the rights of free law abiding Americans; and impose the will of the ever advancing socialistic agenda of those in government.
Whenever I see one of those cameras, I look up at it and wave.
It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. Winston Smith, his chin nuzzled into his breast in an effort to escape the vile wind, slipped quickly through the glass doors of Victory Mansions, though not quickly enough to prevent a swirl of gritty dust from entering along with him.
Wake up mc5 --- get back to work.
I still feel safer with my trusty HK USP Compact .40 snugged up tightly to my body. A camera system may help identify perps, but it doesn't do you much good if you're dead. I'll stick to the concept of taking responsibility for my own safety.
This is the same city that has installed "gunshot detectors" with cameras on key city corners. This way everytime someone shoots a gun on the corner the cops get called straightway.
Now that sure don't sound like a solution to me.