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Potential afterlife of RNC surveillance cameras worries some [Tampa Tribune, Fla.](Tampa Tribune (FL) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) March 03--TAMPA -- The cameras are so advanced that from the top of a skyscraper they can zoom in on your face and clearly see who you're talking to on the sidewalk below. In a few months, an undisclosed number of these cameras, peering out from places kept secret for security reasons, will be installed in downtown Tampa. And it's all to keep you safe, city officials said. On Thursday, the Tampa City Council approved the purchase of the $2 million closed-circuit television system, intended to bolster security during the Republican National Convention in August. By doing so, council members found themselves in a quandary: How long after the convention should the network of cameras keep watch on downtown streets? A balance must be struck between providing safety and protecting the privacy of citizens, Councilwoman Lisa Montelione said. "I don't have a problem of purchasing this equipment for the protection of the city, citizens and officers," she said during the council meeting Thursday. "The issue that was brought to my attention is the regulation of the cameras after the convention." Councilwoman Mary Mulhern expressed concerns that Big Brother-type surveillance will linger long after the convention ends. "This is a huge thing," Mulhern said. "We'll have many dozens of security cameras overhead. We don't want permanent surveillance." Councilwoman Yvonne Yolie Capin said residents may have already grown accustomed to the prevalence of cameras at traffic lights and storefronts. Video surveillance may make people feel safer and bring more business to downtown shops and bars after dark, she said. "That ship has sailed," Capin said. "There are cameras everywhere." An attorney for the mid-Florida branch of the American Civil Liberties Union said the sophistication of the cameras intrudes on privacy. "These are not run-of-the-mill cameras," said John Dingfelder, a former Tampa councilman. "These are high-tech cameras that, when mounted on the top of a building, can see the mole on your face. There's privacy issues here. If the city keeps these cameras, what are the limits of their use?" Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor, who wants the cameras up and running by July, said a priority is ensuring visitors and residents "have a safe, enjoyable Republican National Convention" Aug. 27-31. "I would hope that the Tampa Police Department and I myself have built up a level of trust and that the community will believe it will be used properly," Castor said. She said she has "no issues with the community weighing in" on how the cameras will be used after the convention. The camera system's purchase was approved by a 6-1 vote. The approval came with a stipulation that the council host a workshop Sept. 20 to discuss whether the cameras should be taken down after the convention. Castor said the city would have to pay for the upkeep of the cameras after they're used for the convention. For security reasons, she won't reveal how many cameras will be purchased or where they will be placed. Before the vote, Mulhern said she had little time to read up on the contract between the city and Miami-based Aware Digital Inc., the company that will install the network. The proposal was added to the council's agenda late Wednesday afternoon, and the public did not have time to comment, she said. Castor said the police department and Aware Digital were pressed for time. The department solicited different bids, she said, including one proposal where the cameras would be rented then removed after the convention. But Aware Digital was the only company that responded. The network of cameras must be up and running by July 1, according to the agreement between the city and the camera company. If not, Aware Digital would be fined $500 for each day the project is overdue. The cameras need to be installed quickly to allow officers to train and familiarize themselves with the system and for bugs to be worked out, Castor said. The $2 million for the closed-circuit system comes from $50 million Congress has earmarked for convention security. City officials said $25 million from that federal grant will pay for everything from armored vehicles to hotel rooms for visiting police officers. On Thursday, the council also approved the purchase of $815,757 for additional safety equipment and body armor for officers. At recent meetings, the council has approved $1.2 million for helicopter surveillance equipment and $273,000 for a new armored vehicle. The city has spent about $6.5 million so far on convention security. ___ (c)2012 the Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Fla.) Visit the Tampa Tribune (Tampa, Fla.) at www.tampatrib.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |