Talking Cameras Baltimore-Bound
City Hopes To Deter Vandalism, Illegal Dumping
BALTIMORE -- Scofflaws beware, the next on-street surveillance camera could talk to you.
Baltimore City's Board of Estimates recently approved the purchase of five talking cameras at a cost of $5,000 apiece.
According to The Baltimore Sun, city officials will employ the talking cameras to catch vandals and litterbugs.
A motion detector activates the camera to capture still pictures, and the device calls out with a recorded message.
"We will use (the picture) to prosecute you. Leave the area now," the voice says.
WBAL-TV 11 News reporter Lowell Melser reported city officials got the idea from a similar program that Cincinnati officials have in effect.
"It says you're being watched and we're recording you and dumping is illegal in this area," Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley said.
Even the mayor himself can record a message.
The city installed a camera at a test location to keep watch over a vacant lot off Ellsworth Street in east Baltimore.
"We used one camera and it worked effectively in one area (that was) constantly victimized by unscrupulous people who were dumping," O'Malley said.
Residents who live near that test location told 11 News the camera has benefited their neighborhood.
"Since the cameras have been installed, it has been very little excessive debris or illegal dumping, they haven't been doing that as much and it's a big help," Shawn Gary said.
Michael Greenberger, who heads the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security, believes the cameras could potentially help deter terrorists if the cameras are posted near potential targets, like the Inner Harbor and Penn Station.
"I think it can be used not just after the horse is out of the barn, but to lock the barn up. It could scare people because they would be so quickly identified," he said.
Greenberger pointed to arrests made in this summer's London subway bombings as proof that cameras can double as detectives.
The camera company, Q-Star Technology, said about 150 cities use the cameras to control graffiti, loitering and illegal dumping.
"We have so many requests from community leaders who want cameras than we're able to fill," O'Malley said.
Still, some residents have a problem with more cameras keeping watch over the city.
"More people should be using common sense, spreading the word in the community instead of relying on machines to determine the shades of gray," said John Dacampos, a southeast Baltimore resident. But some city leaders hope the cameras will serve an effective crime-fighting tool.
"It's another tool we can use for quality of life," Baltimore City Council President Sheila Dixon "I don't think it invades anybody's personal space because, most likely, the camera's not going to talk if somebody's not doing something they're not supposed to be doing."
Melser reported that the city will also install two dummy cameras that do not take pictures, but will still yell at you. City officials aren't saying where the cameras will be placed.
http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/5347261/detail.html
Cameras in action in england: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAuZi8ZiJOg&eurl=
City Hopes To Deter Vandalism, Illegal Dumping
BALTIMORE -- Scofflaws beware, the next on-street surveillance camera could talk to you.
Baltimore City's Board of Estimates recently approved the purchase of five talking cameras at a cost of $5,000 apiece.
According to The Baltimore Sun, city officials will employ the talking cameras to catch vandals and litterbugs.
A motion detector activates the camera to capture still pictures, and the device calls out with a recorded message.
"We will use (the picture) to prosecute you. Leave the area now," the voice says.
WBAL-TV 11 News reporter Lowell Melser reported city officials got the idea from a similar program that Cincinnati officials have in effect.
"It says you're being watched and we're recording you and dumping is illegal in this area," Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley said.
Even the mayor himself can record a message.
The city installed a camera at a test location to keep watch over a vacant lot off Ellsworth Street in east Baltimore.
"We used one camera and it worked effectively in one area (that was) constantly victimized by unscrupulous people who were dumping," O'Malley said.
Residents who live near that test location told 11 News the camera has benefited their neighborhood.
"Since the cameras have been installed, it has been very little excessive debris or illegal dumping, they haven't been doing that as much and it's a big help," Shawn Gary said.
Michael Greenberger, who heads the University of Maryland Center for Health and Homeland Security, believes the cameras could potentially help deter terrorists if the cameras are posted near potential targets, like the Inner Harbor and Penn Station.
"I think it can be used not just after the horse is out of the barn, but to lock the barn up. It could scare people because they would be so quickly identified," he said.
Greenberger pointed to arrests made in this summer's London subway bombings as proof that cameras can double as detectives.
The camera company, Q-Star Technology, said about 150 cities use the cameras to control graffiti, loitering and illegal dumping.
"We have so many requests from community leaders who want cameras than we're able to fill," O'Malley said.
Still, some residents have a problem with more cameras keeping watch over the city.
"More people should be using common sense, spreading the word in the community instead of relying on machines to determine the shades of gray," said John Dacampos, a southeast Baltimore resident. But some city leaders hope the cameras will serve an effective crime-fighting tool.
"It's another tool we can use for quality of life," Baltimore City Council President Sheila Dixon "I don't think it invades anybody's personal space because, most likely, the camera's not going to talk if somebody's not doing something they're not supposed to be doing."
Melser reported that the city will also install two dummy cameras that do not take pictures, but will still yell at you. City officials aren't saying where the cameras will be placed.
http://www.thewbalchannel.com/news/5347261/detail.html
Cameras in action in england: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAuZi8ZiJOg&eurl=
