February 19, 2006

Will Chicago's surveillance cameras come to Los Angeles?

Guess what: they already have. As detailed a year ago, L.A. City Councilman Eric Garcetti - consistently an idiot - together with then-mayor Jim Hahn welcomed Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley to the rollout for new security cameras which were placed on Hollywood Boulevard.

Chicago now has a proposed ordinance to require bars to install security cameras. Who exactly would monitor those cameras is uncertain, but I have no doubt that the government would eventually assume that role.

If Daley's advocacy for cameras on the street lead to Los Angeles installing them, have no doubt that our own leading lights - lead no doubt by Garcetti - will soon come out with a similar proposal.

Also, as pointed out in the other entries in this category, there's usually someone around to say something creepy, and here's the current version:

"The safer we make the city, the better it is for everyone," says Chicago Alderman Ray Suarez, who first proposed mandatory cameras in some businesses. "If you're not doing anything wrong, what do you have to worry about?"

Posted to Privacy at February 19, 2006 09:25 PM

Comments

Exactly who is making LA so unsafe? Perhaps Chicago and LA already have something in common.

Posted by: eh at February 20, 2006 02:12 AM

What I have to worry about is that if you pay someone to find things wrong, he will find things wrong, as anyone can confirm who has had hassles with the building inspector over minor matters.

Posted by: dchamil at February 20, 2006 06:30 AM

How about if we mounted cameras along the border to stop illegal immigration, drug smuggling, terrorist infiltration, and Mexican Army incursions? If cities can afford them, then can't the US government with the billions they spend pretending to patrol the border?

Posted by: LomaAlta at February 20, 2006 11:09 AM