Comments on: Camera Surveillance For Decatur Square

By: J.Doe

J.Doe — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:00:19 +0000

to reduce skateboarding? thats the lamest thing ever. How about at least blanket the BS with reduce crime. how lame.

By: Sheep Dog

Sheep Dog — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:09:15 +0000

The average person doesn’t like the idea of cameras until they or a loved one is victimized in some way. Then, they can’t believe there wasn’t a camera at that ATM, store, park, etc. This is a tough argument. But there can’t be a cop on every corner. Any one of us can be the victim of a crime. Anytime and anywhere. Even in our great little city. Wouldn’t you rather have some cameras monitoring our public spaces for those times when something happens? Worse case scenario: Has anyone ever turned there head for a second and there child is suddenly gone? Of course 99% of the time, they have darted off and you find them pretty quick. But what if? Do you see how many kids are running around without direct supervision during concerts and festivals or at the pools and parks? Wouldn’t you really want there to be some video to view if your child hadn’t just darted off. We have a truly wonderful community and we are way safer than most of the communities around us. But we are not immune. I’d rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:18:46 +0000

I meant traffic stops are really NOT crimes in themselves.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:58:10 +0000

If you have to ask the question about the lab, maybe you haven’t been on the Square recently. Yes, it’s still there.

Are you aware of an ATM theft in Decatur recently?

BTW, I just checked crimereports.com and it shows a total of 13 reported crimes in Decatur in the last 7 days, not counting traffic stops, which are really crimes in themselves (they’re civil, not criminal in nature), but which sometimes do lead to more serious things.

By: CSD Snowflake

CSD Snowflake — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:28:58 +0000

After all this, I’m going to sheepishly admit that I am not totally against surveillance cameras. I guess that shows how high my trust level is in the city and our police because I know I would be much more suspicious if federal agencies were doing this. But I have to admit that I’ve been feeling less and less comfortable around the plaza and the row of restaurants lately. My completely subjective opinion is that, after a period of gradual improvement in the quality of that area, there’s more “hanging out” there in ways that don’t seem friendly and social. Maybe I’m just getting older, or freaked out by crime news, or maybe it’s because I have a young teen who is walking around town more. But I want our open, public spaces to be safe and I want us to be able to document crimes against safety that occur there. I would prefer more policing but, when crimes occur, e.g. thefts at ATM’s, I’m always relieved to know that there’s pictures of who did it. Some of this is perception–if the open, well-lit, totally public plaza isn’t perceived as safe, then how should we feel about all the secluded areas around Decatur.

BTW, is there still a lab there that does drug testing? That always seemed to me to be an unfortunate business to have on our city’s central, showpiece plaza.