Smile
That’s very nice, but frankly wouldn’t cops walking a regular beat also be a great community-based deterrent? How soon before these are used for revenue enhancement such as pegging cars with expired registrations, etc?
8 Responses to “Smile”
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hank Says:April 23rd, 2008 at 9:53 am
Alan–I never thought that the BPD would install cameras as a REPLACEMENT for officers on foot beat or radio cars.
That isn’t how NYC uses them. They use the cameras to observe as even with about 25K cops in NYC, one can’t be on every corner every minute. This helps radio cars and foot officers/Mounted officers a better chance to apprehend a lawbreaker as the camera will give a description and direction of movement.
It’s been proven over and over in various cities, and taught in criminal justice curriculms in every college. Community-Based Policing WORKS. Foot/bike/Mounted officers, visible in the community and dedicated to helping the citizens, will eventually overcome reluctance,mistrust and hatred of the police.
It’s even working in Iraq. Now that the citizens see that a Marine or Soldier/Sailor would prefer to be playing soccer with the local kids, or building them a playground instead of blowing up their homes have changed their behavior. Now when they see Johnny Jihad burying a bomb in the road, instead of leaving the area they get on a cell phone and call the Iraqi Police or the Army/Marine Command Post in their area and tell them where it is.
If it works in Iraq, it SHOULD work anywhere in our country.
Perhaps the Buffalo Police Commissioner should speak to the CIA about the usefulness of cameras instead of agents on the ground. Could be Enlightening!!!
Jim Ostrowski Says:April 23rd, 2008 at 10:37 am
I just hope no one shoots them out. Perhaps they could guard them 24/7 as they are so vital to stopping the terrists.
Mike In WNY Says:April 23rd, 2008 at 10:55 am
Everyone walking the streets of Buffalo should immediately wear ski masks or bags over their heads to protest this gross violation of liberty.
At least flip the bird at each camera every time you pass one.
probuff Says:April 23rd, 2008 at 10:56 am
i actually work in the surveillance industry (i am no longer in buff and my firm is not associated with this project, i believe johnson controls is the installer/integrator here); general surveillance cameras are an entirely different animal than traffic counters or red light monitors. they have different hardware and a different software front end and are if they are monitoring sidealk activity they will be pointing in the wrong spot to catch traffic…
Greg Says:April 23rd, 2008 at 1:01 pm
It won’t be much if any of a deterrent, everyone knows banks and convienence stores have cameras yet they both get robbed all the time.
They might help make arrests after the fact though which I guess is better than nothing.
Some coworkers were just discussing foot patrols. One of them lives in the university heights area and we all agreed that foot patrols in the area with the cops getting to know the people would likely help reduce some of the crime.
starbuck Says:April 23rd, 2008 at 2:00 pm
No. Not even close.
The nostalgic(?) desire to see police walking a beat is feel-good symbolism. Although it does make sense on Chippewa and in rare situations otherwise, it’s wholly ineffective for fighting Buffalo’s more usual kinds of urban street crime - especially after dark.
Just look at a full street map of Buffalo and count up how many blocks there are in high crime areas. As many police as possible should be in cars so that they can get where they are needed fast.
In the near term what’s really needed is to keep convicted violent criminals in jail much longer instead of the revolving door cat and mouse games.
Mike Says:April 23rd, 2008 at 3:58 pm
I think this is great, maybe they can catch the mayor’s kid smashing up some more cars. Sure hank its working in iraq, is he kidding?
hank Says:April 23rd, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Mike–Perhaps if you spent some time actually listening to the returning veterans, and spent less time hating the military, you’d learn something that the pussified liberals didn’t teach you in school.