Posted on 03/25/2015 9:03:47 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
The Fargo Police Department has launched a voluntary program whereby they’re requesting that citizens give them access to their video feeds in exchange for a sticker:
FARGO – If you’ve got a video camera, police want to take a peek. A new program unveiled Tuesday allows residents and business owners here to give police access to their video cameras. Police say they’d like to use the footage to solve and deter crime. …
The program, called SafeCam, “helps citizens be proactive in protecting their homes,” said Officer Jessica Schindeldecker.
Those who register their cameras will receive a Police Department sticker, intended to deter crime, which they can place in their window, she said.
The request comes as Fargo law enforcement begins using a new online feature called CrimeReports.com which will allow citizens to access a database of some of the crimes happening around them. “The data posted online does not include general calls for service, traffic incidents, police activity where no crime report was taken, and most sexual assaults, crimes against children, domestic violence cases, narcotics cases and medical calls,” reports the Forum.
But still, transparency is a good thing, and I like the idea of citizens being able to easily access this information.
Still, the camera feed thing is kind of weird. I’m not sure why police need access to private video streams, or why the public should grant them that access.
Security cameras are generally an after-the-fact tool for solving crimes. Few, if any, of these video streams are being actively monitored. Rather, their value is in establishing what happened after the fact. As such, the current system where police request footage from cameras in the area of an incident (or obtain it through a properly issued warrant) seems sufficient to me.
I really don’t want to go down the road where police have this sort of access. I mean, today they’re asking for it. How long until it’s a requirement?
I’m okay with this so long as EVERYONE can access these video feeds and not just law enforcement who might want to suppress video if it’s not so flattering for them.
http://copsbreakingthelaw.com/
And I want police to honor their oaths and go to DC to arrest the occupier in chief, but that ain’t happening either.
I’m of the belief that public servants (elected or appointed) should be giving the citizens full access to their video and audio, not the other way around. It is just as (if not more)important that we know what they are up to than vice versa.
Agreed.
Ditto!
“I’m not sure why police need access to private video streams, or why the public should grant them that access.”
They want to expand their coverage to make a facial and license plate recognition system more workable, I would bet.
Big brother in return for a sticker?
Hey, I’m so there!
To make the license/face recognition software work....you need pretty good cameras...not what the usual bakery or gas station puts up. I could see them doing this now and hoping in fifteen years that everyone gets the four-star cameras and this makes sense. Maybe this is a long-term seed program with no payoff for a decade or more.
A better program (and one I would participate in) would be to notify business and homeowners in a particular zone if they NEED video due to a specific incident and have it provided to them by request. I’d be happy to help out with that program if it could help catch criminals. But no way they would ever get access to live feed video of my home, inside or out.
“that citizens give them access to their video feeds in exchange for a sticker”
Instead of a sticker, how about an even swap. Like say access to my video feed in return for hillary clintons missing emails?
Not only do they want to spy on you, they want your pre-permission and they want you to pay for it.
I’m a fan of “The First 48” and it seems that every episode, cops spend hours, if not days running around looking for video cameras, then trying to find the owners, and hopefully see if they work. I recall one show, when the owner of a house across the street from a murder, was away for a week..they couldn’t reach him..they had nothing..no leads..no evidence..when he finally got back..he call the cops...his camera had captured the murder..they arrested the perp immediately after..
They say, “never say anything to the police” (without your lawyer). Same goes for giving them your videos — duh. These videos will go in to a huge database accessible to every law enforcement cabal in the world, and will be used against, YOU.
Don’t EVER invite the MAN into your life, ever.
Agreed. Who pays the piper calls the tune. Police video and audio are paid for lock stock and barrel by tax dollars. We pay for it all and have proprietary rights to the content. Videos taken with privately owned equipment? Better bring a f@#$ing warrant.
And also there needs to be a live cam in the mayors office,,,,with sound.
SnitchCam
LMAO.
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