Politech: Chicago plans 2,000 remote-control cameras [priv]

[Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>]

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Fw: Chicago plans advanced surveillance
Date: Wed, 15 Sep 2004 18:05:53 -0700
From: Thomas Leavitt <thomas () thomasleavitt org>
To: Declan McCullagh <declan () well com>





> Chicago plans advanced surveillance
>
> http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=676&ncid=676&e=2&u=/usatoday/20040910/ts_usatoday/chicagoplansadvancedsurveillance
>
> Fri Sep 10, 2004
> By Debbie Howlett, USA TODAY
>
> A surveillance system that uses 2,000 remote-control cameras and
> motion-sensing software to spot crimes or terrorist acts as they happen is
> being planned for the city.
>
> If that sounds a little like Big Brother is watching, he might be.
>
> "Cameras are the equivalent of hundreds of sets of eyes," Mayor Richard
> Daley said Thursday. "They are the next best thing to having police
> officers stationed at every potential trouble spot."
>
> The system would exceed existing projects in how it would tie cameras to
> emergency operations, said Ron Huberman, executive director of the city's
> Office of Emergency Management.
>
> Neither the courts nor the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web
> sites) have objected to cameras in public places, saying there is no
> expectation of privacy on a city street.
>
> "We live in a video world," said Ed Yohnka of the ACLU of Illinois.
>
> The high-definition, motorized cameras can rotate 360 degrees and include
> night-vision capability. They will be mounted on buildings and utility
> poles across the city.
>
> Most are already in use - 30 by the police department and 1,000 at O'Hare
> International Airport. Other cameras are on elevated train platforms and
> the city's 600 schools. An additional 250 cameras yet to be installed will
> raise the number to more than 2,000.
>
> The city is also considering allowing private companies to join the
> network, for a fee. Officials said the system size is nearly limitless.
[...]

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