Granite City considers camera surveillance

St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Jan. 30, 2006

Officials seeking to revive this city's downtown business district are considering using public security cameras, possibly with motion sensors.

After studying other surveillance systems such as that at the Tri-City Regional Port District, Mayor Ed Hagnauer said he likes what he - or rather a security camera - sees.

"What we're trying to deter are people being confronted with the prostitution and drugs," Hagnauer said. "And if people are hesitating to do anything with their properties like repairs or investments, we need to change that."

The city is looking at purchasing four security cameras at $15,000 a piece. A resolution is expected to be considered at the council meeting on Feb. 7.

"Cameras give us the ability to watch and gather evidence and prosecute," said Police Chief Rich Miller.

Officials also are considering traffic cameras to catch speeders and red-light runners on city streets as well as on some highways such as Illinois Route 3, Miller said.

Officials plan to attend a presentation by a company that specializes in automated traffic ticketing systems in Collinsville next month, Hagnauer added.

"I have a problem with the speed the people drive on the main streets of town," he said. "People drive 45 miles an hour, 50 miles an hour. It's posted 35."

Both proposals are in planning phases, Hagnauer said, and other cities are being studied.

In St. Louis, police have used portable cameras to target high crime areas and street festivals. Chicago and New Orleans also use camera surveillance.

But some civil liberties advocates worry such cameras could lead to spying on the innocent and tread on privacy rights.

"Do they have regulations for what officers can zoom in on?" said Melissa Ngo, staff counsel for Washington-based Electronic Privacy Information Center. "Is it going to be constant watching and then perhaps some profiling of innocent people who are just walking by?"