The City of Huntington Beach, reports the Orange County Register, is looking into getting video surveillance cameras installed in the downtown area. As the number of crimes rise, and the number of police drop, some city officials are asking for video cameras.
Earlier this month officials asked city workers to look into the different costs and details of putting up cameras in downtown HB, with a goal to reduce crimes and to help police in ongoing investigations.
Huntington Beach, a tourist attraction that has a lot of alcohol related assaults, thefts, and of course – there’s public intoxication.
The only councilman opposed to putting video surveillance cameras in the downtown area is Matthew Harper, who issued the statement, “When the government is coming in and placing cameras all about a public area, that’s a Big Brother world that I’m not interested in being a part of.”
Police Sergent Jim Katapodi said that in his experience, camera’s deter crime, and those who aren’t performing criminal acts, have nothing to worry about. I’ve heard that comment a great deal lately, and I don’t like it.
Some worry about the effects cameras might have on Tourism, but looking at a city like London, for example, one might assume that their high level of public surveillance doesn’t affect travelers much. That is unless they are travelling for the wrong reasons.
Cities all around the US are dealing with this exact situation. Police budgets are dropping, their forces are shrinking, and video surveillance technology is a relatively cheap way to slow crime and reduce budgets. That said, there are a great amount of individuals who believe that government recording of the public is a breach of privacy, and needs to be outlawed. It will be interesting to learn what the courts decide in major cases moving forward. As of now, they seem to be letting public surveillance prevail.
