Police Observation Devices used to reduce crime in Chicago neighborhoods
In the aftermath of September 11, cities such as Boston and Washington D.C. began installing security cameras on street corners to help reduce crime. Other cities soon followed suit on this trend in an effort to make the neighborhoods in their cities safer as well.
By July of 2003, Chicago police officers had approved and unveiled a revolutionary plan to tackle our violent communities in a similar manner. Police Observation Devices (often referred to as PODs) became the chief technology in a mission called “Operation Disruption.”
Operation disruption has endured a lot over the last several years from phrase transitions and updates to approval from supporters and disapproval from critics, the mission has become a controversy throughout the neighborhoods of Chicago.
The debate regarding the police surveillance program initially stemmed from privacy rights. Many people were skeptical that police officers would eventually take advantage of the cameras and invade people’s privacy. The International Association of chiefs of police responded to this concern by creating policies and courses that police officers must abide by. While this helped to reduce some of the controversy, the debate still remains an important issue.
Since its launch, the program has also been under scrutiny for other issues including its success rate, its quality of picture, and its maintenance. The controversy surrounding police crime cameras is an interesting one. Future posts will discuss aspects of this debate in closer detail. Particular topics that spark interest in readers are welcome and can also be investigated.
-Monica
