City to remove 'blue light' crime cameras

well at least they are trying new ways to fight crime,now if they could just get that corrupt police department together,and stop the racisim

put the cameras where they will do the most good. where most crime occurrs. around city hall.

As long as they don't take them out all together.

Sun reader wrote:

put the cameras where they will do the most good. where most crime occurrs. around city hall.

Save a few for State Circle in Annapolis, ok?

This is sad, due you realize how much money was wasted on them? Millions of dollars. Talk about your failed policies and then you elect to send this guy to Annapolis to spend more of our hard earn money?

The cameras didn't make any crime go away. They only encouraged crime to go where cameras aren't looking. Still, they were more reliable in identifying criminals than the numerous witnesses who "didn't see nothin'".

The problem is, it's impossible to prove the deterrent effect. Ask GWB!

The new system will be installed by IBM, huh? Gives new life to the old saying, "nobody [read: no bureaucrat] ever got fired for hiring IBM". They think these existing cameras are "albatrosses"? Wait 'til IBM's system is years late, double the original budget, and can only actually do about half the stuff they promised...(guffaw)

BeenThereDoneThat wrote:

The new system will be installed by IBM, huh? Gives new life to the old saying, "nobody [read: no bureaucrat] ever got fired for hiring IBM". They think these existing cameras are "albatrosses"? Wait 'til IBM's system is years late, double the original budget, and can only actually do about half the stuff they promised...(guffaw)

But we're addressing that in the next upgrade!

Marylanders have no one to blame but Maryland Democrats - they took the mayor of the worst city in the US and promoted him to Governor. The only thing this clown has done is he has raised taxes which is the only thing Demiocrats know how to do.

Wait til you get a load of what Legget has done in Montgomery County - he's almost doubled all of the do-nothing positions he's filled with his friends and cut the COLA for the rank and file. Another Democrat.

They need to put closed circuit cameras on every block of baltimore, haha. God bless.

I'd rather put up with some crime than have a surveillance state. Especially when you consider the quality of the people are administering the system. I notice that no one from Baltimore is enthusiastic about the system.

All these cameras do is identify problem areas and move the criminals to areas that weren't problems that don't have cameras.

They reduce property values and make more problems than they fix.

You've heard of the Show Me State. THE TEFLON LEPRECHAUN is looking to make this the Watch Me State. First the blue lights, then the red light cameras, now the speed cameras.

Hello, Mayflower Moving Company...

Not in the least confused wrote:

<quoted text>
Save a few for State Circle in Annapolis, ok?

Oh, this is not a joke. There was an article in the Sun during the Assembly session that the Teflon Leprechaun is trying to do just that. He is asking for FBI help and surveillance on and around the Circle.

Smile...If you are in MD, you are likely on camera!

Make the cameras like internet webcams, like a modern citizens patrol. Of course if you just do like cameras, tell me all your reasons you want the crime to continue.

These would be great if they could attach some weaponry to them as well.

Merfzero wrote:

Make the cameras like internet webcams, like a modern citizens patrol. Of course if you just do like cameras, tell me all your reasons you want the crime to continue.

That is the best idea yet, and I bet it would work out better.

Funny, how come until TODAY they were insisting that the blue light cameras WERE effective? They suddenly discovered overnight that they weren't?

"“Residents love them and so do front-line prosecutors,” said Baltimore police spokesman Matt Jablow, who cites a 16 percent decrease in crime in the areas with surveillance cameras.“The whole gamut of crimes have been solved by these cameras and countless other crimes have not taken place because of these cameras. Can you put a price tag on that? We don’t think so.”

The cameras cost $10 million to install with $3 million coming to the police department’s general fund and the other $7 million paid for between federal homeland security funds and seized money from drug dealers, Jablow said. "

http://www.examiner.com/a-521599~Prosecutors_...

Who wants to guess how politically connected the firm supplying these cameras is? In another three years, are we going to spend another several million dollars on buying NEW cameras that don't actually do anything but stigmatize neighborhoods and keep babies up at night with strobe lights?

In a city that can't afford education?
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltim...

Jennifer Tonkin wrote:

I am profoundly uncomfortably with anyone watching me as I go about my daily business, but infinitely more so if those people are the abusive, leering rat-fucks on the Baltimore Police department. Another one of them just got indicted for child-rape, do we really want these people videotaping us and our children from afar?
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltim...

Apparently you dont live in a community where these blue light cameras are being operated because I do. Since the city has installed these cameras drug activity in my neighborhood had came to an absolute halt. Drug dealers are scared to stand on corners because they know tehre bieng watched. I personally of two crimes a robbery and an attempted rape that were prevented because of quick police response due to the cameras. So I dont understand how you could not want these cameras because "God Forbid" if you or your child is walking around in your nice suburban neighborhood and someone attempts to rape you, trust me you will wish the city installed these blue light cameras in your neighborhood!! The cameras have made a difference in my community and now my family doesnt have to spend six hundred thousand dollars on a new home in the suburbs just to be comfortable where we LIVE! BALTIMORE CITY RESIDENTS APPRECIATE THE CAMERAS!!

Malik Al Saadat wrote:

<quoted text>
Apparently you dont live in a community where these blue light cameras are being operated because I do. Since the city has installed these cameras drug activity in my neighborhood had came to an absolute halt. Drug dealers are scared to stand on corners because they know tehre bieng watched. I personally of two crimes a robbery and an attempted rape that were prevented because of quick police response due to the cameras. So I dont understand how you could not want these cameras because "God Forbid" if you or your child is walking around in your nice suburban neighborhood and someone attempts to rape you, trust me you will wish the city installed these blue light cameras in your neighborhood!! The cameras have made a difference in my community and now my family doesnt have to spend six hundred thousand dollars on a new home in the suburbs just to be comfortable where we LIVE! BALTIMORE CITY RESIDENTS APPRECIATE THE CAMERAS!!

While I understand your fondness for the cameras, let me disabuse you of an emphatic statement you made. NOT ALL BALTIMORE CITY RESIDENTS LOVE THE CAMERAS.

I do a great deal of community development and the cameras make it nearly impossible to attract the kind of people to the neighborhood who wil have a long term affect on its growth and change.

My realtor has driven people up to look at properties in the neighborhoods where we are doing work and as soon as they see a blue light, they have said,"we don't even need to get out, we wouldn't live here."

Not only have they cost me money, they have kept a neighborhood from growing and moving in a direction where the lights would not be necessary.

Again, I see your point, but I live in Baltimore and own a significant amount of property in Baltimore and i do not like the blue lights and many of my friends and colleagues have expressed the same sentiment in our discussions.

As for the poster stating that she doesn't like being watched... grow up. If you aren't doing anything wrong, why would you care if you are on camera. Ridiculous. We have a police department of thousands and a few are caught abusing their power. I would bet that the same percentage of worthless or undesirable people exist in most organizations whether they be public or private.