Our tax dollars are being used to install surveillance cameras in public places.
Seattle, WA - The recent installation of more than two dozen security cameras along the city’s shoreline, from Fauntleroy to Golden Gardens, is drawing concern from some residents and a warning from civil-rights activists.
“This is another step toward a surveillance society where the government is increasingly using technology to monitor people’s actions and movements without having a warrant or a specific reason to do so,” said Doug Honig, a spokesman for the American Civil Liberties Union of Washington.
The 30 cameras, along with a wireless mesh network created by 160 antenna, are funded by a $5 million federal grant aimed at increasing the Port of Seattle and the city’s ability to respond to hazards and emergencies, according to Seattle Police Department Capt. Chris Fowler. The cameras will provide police with a sweeping view of the port facilities, Elliott Bay and the shoreline.
Detective Monty Moss, in charge of surveillance platforms, said they’re hoping to have the cameras operational by March 31.
Fowler said there will be strict controls on who has access to the cameras and the information they contain. He said the department is creating policies that will govern how the cameras are used, how the information will be stored and for how long.
Money for the cameras and the wireless network came from a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to benefit a number of regional agencies, including the Coast Guard, King County, the Port of Seattle and the city’s fire, police and transportation departments.
Honig, of the ACLU, said the same kind of laws should be drafted for the use of law-enforcement surveillance cameras. He said he was concerned to learn that the cameras were being installed before any serious conversations with the public had taken place.
“There are going to be some big questions for the City Council and the mayor. Are you going to hold any hearings on this so the public can weigh in? And if so, when? Do you see any privacy implications and how will they be handled? The public officials need to get out in front of this and set controls on uses of surveillance technology or it will control us.”
“This is a policy issue about what kind of a society we want to be rolling toward,” he said.
http://seattletimes.com/html/latestnews/2020260670_waterfrontcamerasxml.html
More info. about DHS/FEMA grants below:
The websites http://www.dhs.gov/xgovt/grants/index.shtm and www.dhs.gov provide information on homeland security and public safety grant opportunities offered by agencies across the Federal government and are intended to simplify access to these grants by placing information in a single, easily accessible site. It includes grants offered by the Department of Homeland Security as well as other Federal Departments and Agencies.
Critical state and local missions supported through these grants include the preparedness of first responders and citizens, public health, infrastructure security, and other public safety activities. While these programs vary considerably in their size and scope, they all contribute to making our nation more secure against the threat of terrorism, as well as other natural and man-made hazards.
Department of Homeland Security grants listed include those administered by the Office of Domestic Preparedness (ODP), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Other Federal agency programs include the Department of Health and Human Services’ public health preparedness grants, Department of Justice grants for counter-terrorism and general-purpose law enforcement activities, and Environmental Protection Agency grants for enhancing the security of our Nation’s water supplies.
This page is intended to provide an overview of relevant programs for potential applicants. When available, links were provided for the individual grant programs, which will lead to more information on their specific requirements and procedures. Other search opportunities are available at www.Grants.gov and www.emergencymgmt.com .
Many grants are administered directly through state agencies and administrative offices – see individual grant applications for more information.
The following links provide additional grant related information.
Using the 1122 Program
Section 1122 of the fiscal year 1994 National Defense Authorization Act established the authority for states and units of local government to purchase law enforcement equipment through federal procurement channels, provided that the equipment is used in the performance of counter-drug activities. The “1122 Program” affords state and local governments the opportunity to maximize their use of taxpayer dollars, by taking advantage of the purchasing power of the federal government to receive discounts commensurate with large volume purchases.
The authority for the 1122 Program resides with the Department of Defense. The U.S. Army, as the executive agent of the program, formed a steering committee initially consisting of representatives from GSA, the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), and the Department of Justice (DOJ). Today, the Army, GSA, and DLA are actively involved in the program. Read more at the GSA Website.
http://www.nsmsurveillance.com/grant-sources-information/department-of-homeland-security/