No more blue-light cameras
by Lori Barrett | May 16, 2008 at 6:07 am
Posted in baltimore crime
Baltimore will begin phasing out the ugly and largely ineffective blue-light cameras that have decorated the city since 2005.
The 102 cameras will be replaced by more modern closed-circuit cameras, of which the city currently has 454. Not only are the closed-circuit cameras less obtrusive, but they require less manpower to monitor. The blue-light cameras must be monitored on-site with a laptop-like device, whereas the closed-circuit cameras are hardwired to a central facility.
The blue-light cameras also produce subpar evidence. In the Sun article, the Baltimore State’s Attorney and the Police Commissioner (who referred to the cameras as his “albatross”) were able to name only a handful of incidents in which the cameras produced reliable evidence. At $30,000 a pop, plus the hours of manpower required to monitor them, the blue-light cameras likely won’t be missed by administrators.
For those who feel that the flashing blue light is an effective crime deterrent on their corners, lights can be added to the newer-style cameras as well. Police are working with IBM to build the new network of cameras, which will cost significantly more than the blue-light version, but may include such technology as facial recognition.
Baltimore will certainly look different without the wash of blue light from the cameras. Will you miss them? Or is it about time that Baltimore introduced some modern technology to our streets?
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May 16th, 2008 at 12:23 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
At $30K each, think about all of the officers' salaries and equipment that this city could have had during the past three years. And my guess is, the blue lights simply encouraged criminals to move to a place out of visual range.
May 16th, 2008 at 2:30 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Actually most of those blue-light camera didn't even work.
!
May 16th, 2008 at 3:48 pm | Please log in to reply. | Log in to rate this comment | report this comment
Modern technology? Those blue light cameras were supposed to be the be-all end-all of crime prevention according to Smilin' Martin. And EVERYONE KNEW THEY WOULDN'T WORK. For 30K they could have gotten a part-time officer for every corner in the city year round.
...at least they're fixing the problem now, sort of.