News 10 in Calfornia has an interesting story about surveillance cameras and license plate readers co-funded by homeland security at the Arden Fair Mall.
SACRAMENTO, CA – Homeland Security funds have poured into the state of California since the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
According to the Center for Investigative Reporting, California counties have received almost $2 billion in anti-terrorism grants. Sacramento County has received $79 million.
Arden Fair Mall Security Chief Steve Reed said he's received $100,000 in federal funds. The money has gone toward two high-tech surveillance systems.
"This actually enables us to record data with our 142 cameras that mall purchased for $1.5 million," Reed said. "That money came from mall management, but it enabled me to tie the cameras into a system the federal government paid for."
Reed showed off that system set up in two offices at Arden Fair Mall in Sacramento. "We have a set of eyes here and another one if I'm watching in my office. And we have two more sets of eyes at the security information desk in the middle of the mall," he said.
Security officers watch escalators, stores, hallways, indoor and outdoor walkways and parking lots. "After a day of things that happen at the mall, if there's any footage that we need to retrieve, we can get it. We can give it to the appropriate law enforcement agency if they need it," Reed explained.
Security officers can zoom in and make hard copies of closeups. They can also record images onto a disk.
"We've been able to reduce crimes significantly and record slip and falls," Reed said. "If there's any kind of maintenance or safety issues we can take care of them because we see every nook and cranny at the mall which covers 77 acres."
Reed spent the rest of the federal funds on license plate readers mounted on security vehicles. "Officers drive up and down our parking lots and structures taking pictures of license plates," he said. "Everyday we're able to download a list of plates from Sacramento police stolen car reports. If the reader sees that plate, it sounds an alarm and we can call the authorities."
According to Reed, since the system was installed, it has found 21 stolen vehicles and resulted in the arrest of 22 individuals.
Sacramento Regional Transit has received $2 million from Homeland Security, according to Doug Voska, a Sacramento police officer who is under contract to RT. He runs the transit system's Video Control Center.
Like the mall, Voska has officers peering at screens attached to security cameras located at light rail stations and on board train cars.
"Prior to this, we had a piece-meal camera system with a few cameras here and there," said Voska. "Now we have a much better system and we can monitor each camera live as it sees what's happening now. And we can prevent any acts of terrorism and crimes."
Voska said officers can quickly be dispatched to the scene if problems arise.
"Part of the Homeland Security funding also provided for a public awareness campaign," Voska said. "Signs are posted telling passengers about the surveillance and how they can help us and protect the transit system."
Voska added that public response has been positive. "It not only makes them feel safer. They know they're actually safer," he said.
This chief of security is a pretty sharp guy. He's got the 77 acres covered and is claims the technology is helping in the following areas:
- Reduction of crime in "slip and falls"
- Can easily spot maintenace issues
- 21 stolen vehicles were identified, police were called and 22 criminals were arrested
- Officers can be dispatched to the scene much quicker
- Citizens not only feel safer, they are safer
- They can prevent crimes and terrorism
Besides for the crazy comment on preventing terrorism, the system at Arden Fair Mall sounds quite effective in a few areas. The reduction in claims for "slip and falls" can have a positive effect on the court system, and their use of license plate scanning has proven to be highly effective. This news article is reinforcing the fact that parking lot cameras can be highly effective with the correct technologies and practices.
It's my belief private cameras in private spaces are much more effective than public cameras in public places. Since the police and legal system can do their job much more effectively with evidence from the cameras, the Arden Fair Mall is a shining example of a public-private success story.
Related:
Mall Tip Leads Police To Stolen Car
Arden Fair Mall's new camera system thwarts car thieves
Yay! more cameras. Maybe one day we'll have 100,000 of them watching our every move …. like the city of London. Watch as your scientific dictatorship unfolds, citizen #4420918 – and don't question it, because that would be so un-patriotic of you. We're trying to fight terrorists, errrr – car thieves at the Arden Mall. Never mind that facial scanning technology, never mind the NSA…. back to sleep.