(DailyVantage.com) – The acting police chief for Washington, D.C., visited New York City and plans to mimic New York’s intensive surveillance system in the nation’s capital. New York currently uses over 60,000 CCTVs, while other cities, like Washington, D.C., only have access to a few hundred cameras.
According to Acting Chief Pamela A. Smith, Washington intends to implement more CCTVS and other surveillance tools to closely monitor the citizens residing within the inner city. New York’s comprehensive surveillance system is being compared to a mass surveillance system by many online audiences. Smith claims the system used in New York is admirable, as video evidence is extremely helpful in securing convictions against those accused of crimes. Smith’s visit to the New York Police Department comes during a historic crime surge within the national capital and will likely result in dramatic change within Washington, D.C.’s criminal justice system.
New York police aren’t just using video footage to identify potential suspects, as some of the cameras in barrows like the Bronx, Manhattan, and Brooklyn have facial recognition software implemented within that identifies those on screen. The use of facial recognition software is causing concern amongst residents of New York, as many fear the police will use the surveillance system within the city to restrict the constitutional rights of the city’s residents. Despite these criticisms, Smith aims to implement a similar approach within Washington, D.C., to combat a growing crime rate. Violent crimes are becoming standard within the capital, prompting police to enact methods to combat the increasing crime rates.
The growing crime rate in Washington is causing citizens to avoid traveling by foot whenever possible due to fears of violent crime. According to police data, the homicide rate in Washington, D.C., increased by 29% in the last year. The growth in homicide rates is an alarming statistic, prompting the city to implement new crime prevention methods. The city has already implemented a curfew for its residents and now seeks to add hundreds of cameras to its arsenal to watch citizens more closely. New York City’s comprehensive surveillance program is the next step for Washington, D.C., which faces a historic crime surge without immediate change in its policing policies.
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