Lancaster, PA Outsources Public Surveillance to Private Company

File this one under, “what could possibly go wrong?”

Some 165 closed-circuit TV cameras soon will provide live, round-the-clock scrutiny of nearly every street, park and other public space used by the 55,000 residents and the town’s [Lancaster, PA] many tourists. That’s more outdoor cameras than are used by many major cities, including San Francisco and Boston.

Unlike anywhere else, cash-strapped Lancaster outsourced its surveillance to a private nonprofit group that hires civilians to tilt, pan and zoom the cameras — and to call police if they spot suspicious activity. No government agency is directly involved.   LINK

I’m not sure I can even list the number of ways in which this is horribly wrong.  Not only has there been no proof that this sort of surveillance lowers crime rates but they often just push that crime into areas that are even more difficult for those involved in public safety to track.

While it seems like some local residents are upset by this move, there has been no real protest to the program.

“Years ago, there’s no way we could do this,” said Keith Sadler, Lancaster’s police chief. “It brings to mind Big Brother, George Orwell and ‘1984.’ It’s just funny how Americans have softened on these issues.”

“No one talks about it,” agreed Scott Martin, a Lancaster County commissioner who wants to expand the program. “Because people feel safer. Those who are law-abiding citizens, they don’t have anything to worry about.”

For those wondering what happened to basic civil liberties, it turns out most people just don’t realize how important those were to begin with and will only miss them after it is far to late to get them back.

These are the kind of stories that chill me to the core and make more worried for the future of our country far more than any exterior terrorist threat.

Thanks to BoingBoing for the heads up.

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