every move you make

The Houston police chief wants to watch you (if you live there, that is). You see, the city of Houston is facing a severe shortage of police officers, so to help combat crime the Chief wants to put up cameras. Cameras on city blocks, cameras in shopping malls (which most malls have already, no?) and cameras in apartment complexes and around private homes. Yes, that’s right. Because—say it with me now:

“I know a lot of people are concerned about Big Brother, but my response to that is, if you are not doing anything wrong, why should you worry about it?”

Direct quote from Chief Hurtt. That’s right! If you aren’t really doing anything wrong, you won’t care if the police put up a camera to watch your home!

Anyhow, how this will work is that building permits will come with a stipulation that malls and apartment complexes must have surveillance cameras. If there are repeated calls to your residence, “it is reasonable to require camera surveillance of the property”. No word on the definition of “repeated”.

The ACLU called the measure “extreme” and thinks that it could lead to violations of the 4th Amendment. The mayor called the measure a “brainstorm” and is not final. The mayor wan’t quick to dismiss it either:

Such cameras are costly, Houston Mayor Bill White said, “but on the other hand we spend an awful lot for patrol presence.”

You can hear the wheels turning thinking about paying for benefits and training.

Any such program would require approval from the city.

What do you think?

(cross-posted @ expostulation)