The Austin Police Department is going through some issues debating whether or not to install security cameras in high-crime areas around the downtown area. The main issue being how long the recorded video should be kept, due to the fact that the video will be available for public view and some might want to use the video for there own civil law suits or just to treat there curiosity.
I believe cameras should be allowed in these high-crime areas regardless of how people feel about the privacy being intruded. There safety should be there number one concern, that’s the entire reason the police department was founded was to protect and serve. As for the videos being used for public viewing, I believe we have a right to see what’s being video taped as well as what’s going on in our neighborhoods. Whether or not the videos should be used for civil lawsuits is completely up to the person pressing the charges. It wouldn’t be any different if the person pressing the charges were to video tape it and use that in there lawsuit. They’ve already tried something similar to this back in 2007 when they used cameras to catch people who ran red lights! People complained about how it was an invasion of privacy but how is it any different than if there was a cop sitting at that light instead of a camera.
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On a blog called, "Keeping a closer eye on crime in downtown Austin", Emily Hajovsky. She makes a great point on how the we should have cameras in “high-crime areas”. It would help the Austin Police Department to find that person and arrest them. She also talks about “some owners of their establishment might want to use the video for their own civil law suits or just to treat their curiosity”. She backed her information about “the Austin Police Department is…debating whether or not to install security cameras in high-crime areas around the downtown area” with an article.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a good idea to have cameras at “high-crimes areas”. I think that will help the owners feel a lot better that he/she knows what going on outside of their place when they are not there. I agree with her that “safety should be there number one concern”.
I also agree that “we have a right to see what’s being videotaped as well as what’s going on in our neighborhoods”. It might or not be useful for a lawsuits or a crime. According to Emily “it wouldn’t be any different if the person pressing charges were to video tape it and use that in their lawsuit”. She gave an example of a case that was in 2007. She said that “they used cameras to catch people who ran red lights” and “people complained about how it was an invasion of privacy”. She makes a great point how people complained about being videotaping but “how is it any different than if there was a cop sitting at that light instead of a camera”. It got me thinking and it is the same thing but they have proof of them doing something.
Among my colleague’s blogs, lonestar Govt. views on “keeping a closer eye on crime in downtown Austin” are interesting and genuine topic. Her opinion about installing the security cameras in highly crime area in downtown Austin provides facts, information and proof. It’s true that security cameras will be more helpful for Austin police department to take action against criminals. Her ideas shows that Security comes before privacy so, it does not matter how often people gone a loose their privacy. Example she gave about private owners who installs security camera for their safety and own civil law suits makes clearer about an issue. She conclude her ideas giving an information about the debates that is going on in Austin police department about...whether to install a security camera in highly crime area around Austin downtown.
ReplyDeleteProviding public safety and security is the main job of police department so I think its good idea to install security cameras in highly crime area. We can see most of the private owner install security cameras for their safety and security. People get scare to create crime in that area where there are security cameras. That’s why ‘safety’ is more important than ‘privacy’.
I have the same opinion as she got about installing security cameras in highly crime area around Austin downtown. She says “public safety should be their (police department) number one concern, that’s the entire reason they was founded was to protect and serve” so, police department have full right to take any action for public security. I think my colleague did an excellent job with this article post. She got all the precise and appealing across and I agree all the way with my colleague.