City pushes forward with controversial surveillance program
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SEATTLE -- The eyes in the sky have more attention than ever.
Seattle police spent nearly two hours explaining more about the privacy masking and other concerns for the 30 surveillance cameras being installed along waterways.
They say officers will have restricted access to the system and they also pledged more transparency to the public.
"Where privacy is definitely an issue and concern, I would like to say it's not 'versus' anything," said Assistant Chief Paul McDonagh.
Camera supporter Ronald Deshayes wasn't sure why there was so much criticism.
"What if somebody was down here say, going to mug that lady? That camera's going to pick it up. It's for our safety," he said.
Police say citizens will be able to access the cameras just like WSDOT traffic cams, but recordings will only be stored for 30 days before being deleted.
After years of technical problems with dash cam videos, we asked about public access to police misconduct caught on tape.
"That's always a case. If there's an active investigation, we won't release the video," McDonagh said.
Some still aren't sold on the cameras, in part because many of the systems weren't discussed until after the cameras were installed.
"I feel weird that they didn't ask about it at first," said Nickolas Nicoloudikas.
Other residents said they didn't think all the wireless security systems are in place. They want to have cameras and a mesh network but they haven't really thought through all of the consequences of it," said Lee Colleton.
SPD says it will continue to do a thorough vetting process and that includes another scheduled public meeting next Tuesday the 19th at 7pm at the Belltown Community Center, 415 Bell Street.
Seattle police spent nearly two hours explaining more about the privacy masking and other concerns for the 30 surveillance cameras being installed along waterways.
They say officers will have restricted access to the system and they also pledged more transparency to the public.
"Where privacy is definitely an issue and concern, I would like to say it's not 'versus' anything," said Assistant Chief Paul McDonagh.
Camera supporter Ronald Deshayes wasn't sure why there was so much criticism.
"What if somebody was down here say, going to mug that lady? That camera's going to pick it up. It's for our safety," he said.
Police say citizens will be able to access the cameras just like WSDOT traffic cams, but recordings will only be stored for 30 days before being deleted.
After years of technical problems with dash cam videos, we asked about public access to police misconduct caught on tape.
"That's always a case. If there's an active investigation, we won't release the video," McDonagh said.
Some still aren't sold on the cameras, in part because many of the systems weren't discussed until after the cameras were installed.
"I feel weird that they didn't ask about it at first," said Nickolas Nicoloudikas.
Other residents said they didn't think all the wireless security systems are in place. They want to have cameras and a mesh network but they haven't really thought through all of the consequences of it," said Lee Colleton.
SPD says it will continue to do a thorough vetting process and that includes another scheduled public meeting next Tuesday the 19th at 7pm at the Belltown Community Center, 415 Bell Street.
They won't help and they'll say they just need more of them then everything will work right, but there never will be enough.Â
We have new gun control now we need new people control they are forcing us to stay in our homes and hide. Can those Drones see in side your house or do we need to put tin foil in the windows. lol
1984 all over again.
I just don't get all the resistance to these cameras. You can't go anywhere today without the presence of security cameras - stores, offices, streets, etc. They are there to protect you and help solve crimes. So what is the big deal? Like the saying goes "If you're not doing anything illegal, then you don't have to worry."Â
@Tooby RoosdayThat is a good point. Â I've noticed the increase in camera presence in virtually every store, outside some businesses, gas stations. Â
This isn't really news. Â
After the ghastly violent crimes in Seattle last year, I can see why law enforcement would want extra 'eyes' - The cameras won't stop crime, but might give the police a better chance of identifying and catching violent criminals.
For the naysayers, Yes I do get that it is an invasions of privacy - But ask yourselves, would this have happened if every single one of you out there got involved to stop our government from all of the past illegal impositions they have executed upon the general population without a mandate from the people?Â
Invasion of privacy? You're fussing that the barn door was left open except that, in this case, the horses have not only escaped but established herds of their own far away and opened chain stores. Just sayin'.
@Tooby Roosday I hate that saying. I agree that there is no expectation of privacy in a public place.Â
@leftcenterright Why do you hate it, because it's true?
Taking grant money from the Feds is kind of like selling your soul. Local law enforcement may not currently believe this, but at some point access to those cams is going to be extended to various state and federal agencies.
It used to be that we had police officers on the streets for crime prevention. Not anymore with the fear that towns and cities have of unionized civil workers that require retirement and medical payments plus high wages. Now cities and towns are turning to surveillance systems. The only problem is these systems are used mainly for crime investigation, very few of these systems will do any crime prevention. And the thugs know that less police are on the streets. They know where the cameras are (at least the smarter ones) and they will either obfuscate their appearance or just move to a less monitored location to commit their crimes. Read about the London surveillance system. They have learned the hard way that taking police off the street does not work and these systems will not work here for preventing crime. You will be more prone to crime with every camera put in. It is one thing to have something stolen but it is entirely different when you are killed. Less police means more criminal activity especially in the dire economic times we are in.Â
"They say officers will have restricted access to the system and they also pledged more transparency to the public". DOES anyone believe the SPD's statements???? We should put out the welcome mat for George Orwell and his 1984 book. Another quote comes to mind is "who will watch the watcher???" Camera's in parks, around school grounds and high crime areas could do some good, but to just place them along waterway's is a joke along with it being a colossal waste of money.Â
Oh please, giving SPD surveillance cameras is like giving a pyromamiac a box of matches, bad idea, bad idea....
Didn't SPD just apply for a license to operate unmanned drones last year? And now this??
WHO TRUSTS THE SEATTLE POLICE TO DO THIS?
This is the same police department that "lost" over ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND dashcam videos when the press started to request them!
If you want to see this plan on steroids, which it WILL be, come on up to Lynnwood where there's a camera on EVERY lightpost. Â Every intersection. Â Yeah, we have ZERO privacy in Lynnwood. Â It's a total joke.
Nobody in Lynnwood owns a .22LR rifle?
:)
"After years of technical problems with dash cam videos, we asked about public access to police misconduct caught on tape."
And thats when the VIDEOS SOMEHOW JUST DISAPEAR into thin air!!!!!!!
Don't trust them. Once this gets started it will never end. How many hidden cameras will they have?Pretty soon at birth it will be required to have a gps chip installed in us and a RFID tag also. Then it will be easier for them to track us. Anybody see Minority Report? retina scanners and all. It is never about our safety. It is about them controlling us.
Of course they're pushing forward with it, they already took the money from the Fed (Homeland Security) and can't give it back.
"police say...." - oh, ok. of course if the police say its all good and innocent it must be fine. trust in them. lol
Cameras will not help much if the perp is in disguise. If they are watching for terrorists, they are watching all of us, it could be anybody.
First off - statements are all ready murky ! someone getting mugged ? I thought the cameras were for watching the waterways looking for terrorist activities which falls under homeland security and the united states coastguard. Second - are any of the cameras currently installed facing the street ? Third - can someone go down the city with a terabyte drive and ask for all recordings to this point to see if any privacy rights havent already been violated.For the price of the cameras and the full time position costs to monitor the cams. It would be better to have 2 police officers riding bikes back and forth along the waterfront with binoculars for the next 5 years ?
This will bring
anarchy not peace. what is wrong with buerocrats?
"What if somebody was down here say, going to mug that lady?" Therein lies the fallacy. People like this assume active viewing of the cameras 24/7. Even with detection software running, the crime happens so fast that the best the camera can possibly do is capture it for posterity, and that's only if you're lucky enough to have the camera pointed in the right place at the right time. Then you have to hope the image is clear enough to actually be able to prove anything. Rain, wind, sun glare, etc can all make the image useless. Â
But let's assume all goes well and you do get a good image. So what? The crime has been committed already. So once again I ask: How exactly does this prevent crime again?
I say silly string lots of silly string!
The waterfront falls under homeland security, coast guard, navy, immigration, and anyone of the 296 agencies created after 911 to keep us all safer. I thought busting heads fell under the jurisdiction of the SPD.
@T_BONE_WALKERÂ It's "camera envy": "my lens is bigger than your lens!".
Dear Seattle Citizens,
To hell with your objections. The city administration and Seattle's finest police department will use the cameras to monitor all the terrorist activity which seems to occur along Seattle's waterfront.
How about we have security surveillance cameras installed in all the corridors of City Hall, in Seattle Police HQ and in every SPD precinct station - and put the feed directly on the Internet! THAT would be a useful expenditure of tax dollar$!!!
@JLS1950 We could only wish for that.
"They say officers will have restricted access to the system and they also pledged more transparency to the public.'
Man, you can't put a price on that kind of comedic talent!
Try the veal...
@Audio Cat We MUST have them booked at Giggles!