By Amy Brisson, STAFF WRITER
03/08/2007
Smile. Because you're probably on camera.
Whether you are shopping, getting money out of an ATM, or simply walking down the street, there is a good chance that you are being captured on film. "We are slowly but surely become a society where surveillance is becoming a common thing," according to Upper Darby Police Superintendent Michael Chitwood.
Security cameras can aid law enforcement in a number of ways. Visible cameras and monitors in stores act as a deterrent against petty theft, and video evidence can prove invaluable in tracking and identifying criminals.
Stationary cameras can keep a steady eye on parking lots and entrances, while remote controlled cameras can spy on passers-by and zoom in on suspicious activities. Many police forces use portable surveillance systems to gather evidence or monitor a suspected drug house
"It's amazing the numbers of people we've been able to identify and arrest," Chitwood said. "It gives you another tool in your crime fighting."
In 1995, video feed from over 50 different cameras helped Philadelphia police track and catch a serial killer who was caught on tape murdering an X-ray technician near Pennsylvania Hospital. Film from the hospital, nearby businesses and parking lots filmed the alleged shooter walking over half a mile from the crime scene to his workplace.
"It's a huge asset to the police department," said Haverford Police Sgt. Michael Glenn. He said that a business surveillance camera recently helped the department solve an assault case.
Cameras, long common in businesses and banks, have begun to appear in residential neighborhoods as well.
Anyone with a little bit of cash and technical know-how can now set up a webcam to survey their backyard and driveway, said Glenn.
"We've had acts of vandalism caught on tape by residents," he said. While they might make some neighbors uncomfortable, Glenn said the police support private surveillance - within legal bounds. "We always recommend taking a proactive approach to crime prevention."
Chitwood said that he knew of several private residences in Upper Darby with home surveillance systems, but added that many drug dealers take advantage of the same cheap technology to keep an eye out for police.
'Cost-effective'Glenn pointed out that not only are security cameras becoming more common, people are becoming more tolerant - and even expectant - of surveillance. Even places where there has been traditionally relaxed security, such as small college campuses, are seeing cameras installed.
Last week students and faculty at Swarthmore College received a letter informing them that the administration had decided to install 10 campus security cameras to deter theft, burglary and vandalism.
"It is a way to heighten security without spending as much money as we might," said Director of Public Safety Owen Redgrave. "Cameras have proven to be a cost-effective tool to investigate crimes that have occurred and as a tool to deter crimes."
The cameras are surprisingly versatile. A motion-detecting camera to be placed in the swimming pool building will set off an alarm if it sees movement while the building is closed, reducing the risk of accidental drowning, according to Redgrave. Other cameras will be placed to prevent petty theft in the library, burglary in the campus art gallery, and vandalism in the dining hall.
Swarthmore's sister schools, Haverford College and Bryn Mawr College, have also installed cameras in recent years, according to Redgrave.
"It was generally well received," he said. "They felt a bit safer."
Like any change, the proposal to add surveillance has provoked some debate among students at Swarthmore.
"With security cameras, everything we do is documented; everything is watched. It's kind of invasive," said sophomore Ayanna Johnson, quoted in an article in the student newspaper, The Phoenix.
"The move has inevitably provoked student backlash," wrote the Phoenix staff, in an editorial responding to students' concerns. "But this isn't an instance of Big Brother; it's a necessary and pragmatic security measure that is justified by crime on campus."
Giving up privacy?For some, increased surveillance in public spaces is a positive move.
"There are so many crazy people around today," said Broomall resident Janice Shemeld, who supports heightened security measures. "I think when you're out in public you need them whenever you feel like you are at risk."
Others believe that cameras can be invasive, but it's a necessary sacrifice to protect the public.
"I think for most of us who have nothing to hide, it's not a problem," said Susan Frost, of Bryn Mawr. "Giving up a little privacy to increase security is a worthwhile tradeoff."
John Golato, of Wallingford, agreed.
"I think we need to lose a little bit of our rights to be safe," he said. He has no problem with cameras set up on private property, but, he said, he draws the line when it comes to intruding on individuals' personal space.
For one Springfield woman, however, the surveillance craze has gone too far.
"People are literally handing their rights over and they're doing it blindly," said the resident, who only gave her initials, D.M.N. "If you have [cameras] there has to be a limit to the use, because you can't use them to abuse the rights of people."
She argued that citizens are using heightened security measures, like cameras, as a convenience to excuse themselves from using common sense and observation to prevent crimes.
"And on a residential street, if your cops are doing their jobs, you wouldn't need them," she said. "I wouldn't appreciate them in my neighborhood, but people can do what they want on their own property."
Love them or hate them, we are likely to see more and more popping up around our towns, according to William Harver, Associate Professor of Criminal Justice at Widener University.
"It's inevitable," he said. "It's a sign of the times."
A pilot program implemented this year by the Philadelphia police, which monitors high-crime areas with 24-hour cameras, may eventually become the norm. Chitwood said that if grant money became available, he would like to try a similar program in Upper Darby.
Other police departments may follow suit.
"The issue will often come down to one's expectation of privacy," said Harver. "I don't think there is a problem as long as they are viewing public activity."
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