Posted on 10/17/2002 6:46:11 PM PDT by Pete
I thought I would you give you all an update on SniperWatch.com.
This is the website I put up last Monday night. It allows volunteers to monitor DC/VA/MD traffic cams and log sightings of suspected vehicles to a database that is accessible to law enforcement in real time and retrospectively.
In the past three days, 28 volunteers have signed up. In that time, there have been 20,000+ hits on the site and several other webpages are now linking to it so word is getting around.
I have made several improvements since going live including a forum and a chat. The most significant improvement is in the user interface to monitor the cams and report sightings. It is now much faster and more efficient. The cam is on the right side of the screen and the log form is on the left. A volunteer can log a sighting with two clicks of the mouse - one on a time stamp button and one on the save button. (Before starting, the vehicle type is chosen and the traffic direction is entered). If you want to see a screen capture of the interface, click here.
The cams are now randomly assigned from a cam list. This is so there will be adequate coverage. (There is a "Reassign" button if the volunteer doesn't like the cam they are assigned). In the next few days, I will be putting together a night cam list, where the traffic is lit. Also, assigning cams from a list allows me to use a target list of just a few cams if there is another shooting so we can focus on one area.
I have emailed several media outlets (radio, newspapers, talk shows) and a couple have responded indicating some interest. If they end up covering the site, that should increase the volunteer pool.
I emailed the Maryland Taskforce on Monday night to let them know about the site and I have not yet heard back. I am going to be in the DC area this weekend and I plan on stopping by the Montgomery headquarters to talk to them about it (if I can get in).
Thanks to all the freepers who signed up (most of the 28) and for all your support.
A word to the volunteers - don't be shy about logging a sighting. Even if you see a van that is close, you should log it. If there is another attack, such info could be helpful if the sighting was in the area. Thanks, again for participating.
Are Washington "snipers" rogue cops? Does this explain their amazing getaways?
BTTT
I already have. The cam log postings have a city code so it can be quickly adapted to other cities.
The thought crossed my mind. However, the cams on the list are not intersection cams. They are the cams in the interstates around DC. They can already get that list from trafficland.com.
Be that as it may, I already decided to take steps to hide the camlists in the future. The only way to get a complete list would be to cycle through them all randomly and write them down.
I think we should reactivate the cold war era civil defense horn alarm systems that can be instantly sounded and drivers are alerted to tune to a civil defense radio frequency and listen for instructions. Radio stations would also broadcast alerts under the emergency broadcast system to tune to the civil defense station. I believe the horns were sounded from fire stations throughout the city and could be heard everywhere. Immediately after a sniper shooting, drivers in the area could be told to stop in place (like the air stop on 9-11). Police on motorcycles could then go after those who continue moving or investigate stopped vehicles.
I am afraid that police will not stop this using typical law enforcement tactics. It will take thinking outside the box and using citizens to defend our own communities.
They are effective in the sense that they deter crime from people who do not want to get caught. Criminals behave differently if they know they are being watched. My neighbor mounted a video camara on his roof after a string of petty thefts from garages, and the crooks moved on. Unknown to the crooks was the fact that the camara did not work and was hooked up to nothing.
The more camaras that go up the less effective they become. There aren't enough bodies to look at all the recordings. The crooks learn to ignore them faster than crows sitting on a scare crow.....and of course they are totally ineffective against criminals that don't care weather they get killed or caught such as terrorists.
You would think that NSA with all their listening capabilities could predict and intervene before every terrorist attack. It just isn't so. I have it from a good source, there are stacks of documents and thousands of hours of recordings that have not been translated from Arabic. You would need more police than people.
I agree. This really shows the greatness of America. Few places in the world have this kind of initiative and citizen spirit.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.