Federal Grant Helps Police Boost Surveillance System

CINCINNATI - WLWT.com

Thanks to a federal grant, Cincinnati police are installing high-tech surveillance cameras so they can keep an eye on some high-crime areas even when officers aren't present.

Some areas of Evanston have had cameras up for 12 years, but a $2 million federal grant has allowed the department to upgrade their system. Seven more cameras will go up this week in parts of downtown, and another six will go up early next year in Clifton.

It took a decade to put up 20 security cameras on the University of Cincinnati campus.

Officers have made arrests as a result of the cameras, but some residents are skeptical of their effectiveness.

"Every criminal in Cincinnati knows where the cameras are," said Clifton resident John Sheblessy. "If I'm going to rip some old lady's purse off, and I know the camera is sitting right up there on that pole, I'm going to wait until the old lady walks around the corner and grab her around the corner."

Others have voiced concerns about the invasion of privacy and possible violations of civil liberties, but Police Chief Thomas Streicher said officers are installing a technological safeguard.

"When we get to a window or something on a building, it'll be blurred out," Streicher said.

Some city officials said the images, which are about the same quality as a typical television, should help police reduce crimes in troubled neighborhoods.

"Monitor drug activity, which is, you know, a huge problem for us in some of our neighborhoods," said City Councilman Cecil Thomas, a former police officer.

The cameras are not able to follow sounds because of the so-called echo and canyon effect, which is the increased level of ambient noise from tall buildings and makes the noise's source impossible to detect.

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