Blue Light District

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." ~ Benjamin Franklin (1706 - 1790), Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

The CPD "blue light" cameras have always had some degree of controversy attached to them. Initially, people were upset when it was announced that they would be installed to watch public streets. Then, after the cameras' presence immediately changed the way criminals congregated on the sidewalks, a lot of people were "convinced" that they were good. What's the difference if it's a cop watching you through a camera or a cop watching you through a windshield, many asked aloud.

The cameras have been made an issue by the Moore campaign in the 49th Ward. They latched onto challenger Don Gordon's statement that he would remove the blue light cameras. Mr. Gordon told me a week ago that he stands by that statement. He, and many others, contend that the lights give a false sense of security because the crime is not stopped, it is merely forced to move elsewhere, always nearby and out of view of the cameras. In other words, the argument is that the cameras do not stop or lower crime.

One of the local CAPS groups has been having a rapid-fire online discussion about the cameras, which RPB has been monitoring for days now. Some are for the lights, some against, some express indifference. Here is one of the more interesting posts from that CAPS discussion group. (I edited it slightly to protect the identity of the writer.)

Keep in mind that cameras don't solve the problem it just forces it to relocate. Yes, the Morse El stop is better, but the drug and hooker traffic just moved to other places.

I am sure it will work with the triangle, too. But who will be the next beneficiary of the ealers? Because cameras don't really do anything, they ultimately compromise our security in other places. The people in the next ward over are our neighbors too. Is is neighborly to dump our garbage in other people's yards because we just don't want it here?

I'm all for getting rid of drug dealers, muggers (particularly muggers!) but getting rid of them means either getting them help or arresting them. Neither can be accomplished with cameras.

If we want a safer neighborhood we should be working toward solutions that are more than pushing the ugliness to some one else's neighborhood. Really, what kind of neighbor does that?

It is also naive to think that any government agency - local, state or federal - will pass over the opportunity to use existing surveillance if they think they need it regardless of the law. Our privacy isn't worth a plugged nickel to investigative bodies and they are not being very successful at discriminating between the innocent and the guilty (e.g., "No Fly" List). This is brought to our attention on a daily basis in both the liberal and conservative press. That aside, the country was founded on [the concept of] "innocent until proven guilty." The attitude in law enforcement today is "guilty and we will catch you doing it."

I'm with Ben Franklin on this. You have to assume some risk to keep your freedoms intact.