More cameras, less cops

New York's not the only city rolling out impressive camera networks, ala the Lower Manhattan Security Initiative. Chicago is getting its CCTV on too, reports the New York Times.

Thanks to a $6-million grant from the Department of Homeland Security, Chicago is rolling out a vast network of public and private cameras to aid in its police and emergency response work. The article from the NYT has the usual structure for these types of stories: an example of the cameras at work -- e.g. capturing a Salvation Army kettle thief-- followed by news of how the system will be bigger and better in the future, with an ACLU spokesperson thrown in at the end to voice privacy concerns.

Wired noted a few months back that Chicago had hoped to have 2,000 cameras linked up by 2006, but was held back by a shortage of fiber. The city refused to tell the Chicago Sun-Times how many cameras they've got in action now, but officials do say they hope to have a camera on every street corner in Chicago. That sends a mild chill down our spine, bringing back memories of our father telling us as a child to behave because he knew everything that we would do before we even thought about doing it.

Of course, turning to cameras for effective law enforcement in these troubled economic times makes sense. The fiber may be expensive but is probably less in the long run than health benefits and pensions for police officers.

Wired reports that the NYPD is cutting back on officer deployment, but is trying its best to move full-speed ahead with putting 3,000 cameras online in the financial district.

If it'll keep the Salvation Army kettles safe, it can't be a bad thing, right?

Chicago Links Street Cameras to Its 911 Network [New York Times]
Surveillance cams help fight crime, city says [Chicago Sun-Times]
NYPD Cuts Cops, Keeps Spycams for Terror Defense [Danger Room/Wired]