On the Oct 14 letters page in Lancaster Newspapers was a letter headed “Cameras won’t solve Lancaster city’s problems” by Charles Lane, who wrote that “some people” believe that the cameras installed by Lancaster Community Safety Coalition “makes them more secure and prevents crime”.
Comparing the location of reported crimes in the city with an LCSC camera map indicates that the cameras are giving citizens a false sense of security. The most recent burglaries or burglary attempts and robberies, some with weapons, were committed no more than one block away from a camera. These include: Oct. 14 – 400 block of N. Queen St.; Oct. 12 – 400 block of N. Charlotte St.; Oct. 7, lst block of W. Filbert St.; Oct. 6 – 300 block of W. Lemon St.; Oct. 6, Fulton Bank in Penn Square; Sept. 21 – Harrisburg Pike near N. Prince St.; Sept. 10 – 200 block of W. James St.; Sept. 10 – E. Filbert near St. Joseph St.; Sept. 8 -100 block of S. Ann St.
Proponents of cameras say that, even if the cameras do not prevent crime, they help in its investigation and prosecution. This needs proof in the form of police records. These records should be measured against the total cost of the camera program. These costs include salaries, maintenance and the replacement of cameras, which needs to be done every 3 to 5 years.
Since 2008, a total of $600,000 has been given by the City to the LCSC for the operation of its surveillance program. This money comes from city taxes. The burden of proof should be on the LCSC and City officials as to whether this surveillance program is worth what it costs, or if this money would be more effectively used for neighborhood policing and other proven crime-reduction programs.
