Where does it end? Big Brother puts surveillance cameras in children's playgrounds
New York - Authorities in Mount Vernon plan to keep a close eye on twelve city playgrounds with new security cameras.
The Department of Public Works is installing the solar-charged, high-resolution portable cameras.
The city says the cameras will help law enforcement identify trespassers, vandals and others committing illegal activity in the playgrounds. (this is a pretense to install cameras and surveil the public)
The mayor says that police will monitor the cameras, especially after hours.
"You hear people say, 'why all these cameras?', said City Councilman Yuhanna Edwards. "If you're not doing anything wrong, don't worry about the cameras."
In all, there will be a dozen units installed, and to protect the cameras themselves from being vandalized, each one is bullet-proof.
Each solar-powered camera costs about $6,000 and is being funded through money set aside to improve the parks.
"Complaints from residents and police response to people hanging out in the playgrounds even after they were locked helped us make this decision that will improve quality of life for people living near neighborhood playgrounds," Mayor Ernest Davis says.
The motion-detecting cameras were purchased using bond money that was designated for playground renovations.
"Cameras will certainly help us reduce incidences of vandalism and rowdiness," said Darren Morton, Commissioner of the city's Recreation Department. "Every year we have to disband groups who oftentimes damage equipment and damage or destroy equipment."
http://www.myfoxny.com/story/22436207/cameras-mounted-in-mount-vernon-playgrounds
http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/story?section=news/local/northern_suburbs&id=9118842
http://hudsonvalley.news12.com/news/police-install-cameras-at-mount-vernon-playgrounds-1.5353770?firstfree=yes