To City Council – September 8, 2009
Renee’ Baumgartner
My name is Renee’ Baumgartner. I am from South Duke Street. I am a member of the Citizens Against Public Surveillance (CAPS).
Being that there are no laws on the books protecting us from a private organization being able to monitor us any way they see fit, and doing it behind closed doors, with no cooperation of total transparency, it leaves us in quite a dilemma.
Individuals are starting to come forward to our group to express their deep concerns about the operations of the LCSC. Mayor Gray was quoted as saying that “the LCSC was on a short leash”. My question is “How long is that short leash?”
We have heard about the LCSC hiring a woman who recently had to be fired due to the discovery that she had a criminal and questionable background, yet no one was held accountable for her hiring. Why was no one fired for this neglect? I would like it on record, now, that I am calling for the resignation of the individual who hired her.
And while we are being told that the LCSC is transparent, we are receiving complaints that one cannot get an appointment to come in to see if their house is masked. Neither emails nor phone calls are being responded to. The LCSC remains secretive.
For the month of January, 2008, the LCSC turned over a total of 20 video clips that were requested by the Emer. 911 office and the Lancaster Police Dept. But alarmingly, the LCSC also handed over 428 video clips voluntarily – to the Emer. 911 office. Why were there such an overwhelming number of videos sent voluntarily? I have found that this is done routinely, and there are many who are asking why?
So, I am here to supply the City Council and Mayor with questions and requests that much of the public would like answered. This will give you the opportunity to show the citizens of Lancaster that you believe you ARE to be held accountable for the very surveillance that we are under every single day.
Since the LCSC has not been cooperative, we are coming to you. We are calling on you look over these questions and requests and get the answers for us, and present those answers to us by the next City Council meeting.
Thank you for your consideration in this matter.
September 8, 2009
To Mayor Gray & City Council Members of Lancaster City:
Citizens Against Public Surveillance (CAPS) requests your attention to the following questions and requests to be answered at the next City Council meeting being held on September 22, 2009:
How do the oversight of the camera monitors work? (i.e. Is there a camera watching them as they work? If so, who is responsible for watching those that watch us?
Who are the individuals that have access to the recorded material? (Please give name and/or position)
How is it decided what video clips are handed over voluntarily? (i.e. Is all suspicious activity turned over to 911, or police?)
When a camera monitor stops the automatic panning, and does any manual scanning or zooming to focus in on an individual, is every single one of these instances logged?
Most importantly — We are also requesting:
1.) A copy of the LCSC Bi-Laws.
2.) A copy of the training standards and procedures.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Renee’ Baumgartner
Citizens Against Public Surveillance (CAPS)
