Date: Fri, 06 Dec 2002 12:16:30 -0500 From: "The American Civil Liberties Union" To: "The American Civil Liberties Union" Subject: video surveillance violates privacy Thank you for using The American Civil Liberties Union Mail System Message sent to the following recipients: Chair Pro Tempore/Ward 2 Evans D.C. City Council - Ward 3 Patterson DC Ward Councilmembers Graham DC Ward Councilmember Fenty DC Ward Councilmember Orange DC Ward Councilmember Ambrose DC Ward Councilmember Chavous DC Ward Councilmember Allen Council Chair Cropp DC Councilmember at large Brazil DC Councilmember at large Catania DC Councilmember Schwartz DC Councilmember at large Mendelson Mayor Williams Tourism Director, DC Chamber of Commerce Porter Message text follows: Matthew Belmonte [address] December 6, 2002 [recipient address was inserted here] [recipient name was inserted here], As someone who cares about my right to privacy, I am deeply concerned about the plan to install a network of surveillance cameras in Washington, DC. If such a network is allowed to continue, I will seriously question whether I would make future visits to our nation's Capital. I hope that I can count on you to stop the plan to turn Main Street USA into Surveillance Central. It is my understanding that camera supporters in the DC police department have largely stopped claiming that their system would prevent terrorism and that the real reason cameras are deployed is to reduce much pettier crimes, such as auto break-ins. But it has not been proven they accomplish even that. Studies of cameras' effect on crime in Britain, where they have been extensively deployed, have found no evidence that they reduce crime. It would be far more effective to spend the millions of dollars dedicated to this system on community policing rather than intrusive high-tech super-systems. Furthermore, I believe that, fully operational, Washington’s centralized network of cameras would become an incredibly powerful surveillance tool - that will inevitably be abused. In the UK, cameras are disproportionately trained on people of color and used for video voyeurism by the bored male camera operators who focus on women. In 1997 a top-ranking police official in Washington, DC was caught using police databases to gather information on patrons of a gay club. By looking up the license plate numbers of cars parked at the club and researching the backgrounds of the vehicles' owners, he tried to blackmail patrons who were married. Imagine what someone could do with a citywide spy-camera system. This is not just a local issue. As the capital city, Washington contains many of the United States' most symbolic and historic public spaces. This system would make DC the first city in the nation to have comprehensive video surveillance and unless it is stopped, other cities and communities will inevitably follow its example. We must not allow Main Street USA to become Surveillance Central. I therefore urge you to stop this plan for comprehensive video surveillance of the nation's capital. Sincerely, Matthew Belmonte