Mayor Coleman Announces Pilot Program for Neighborhood Safety Cameras

Let’s Be More Like George W. Bush. Seriously.

Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman

Demagoguery has always flourished during times of national unease. And so it is not surprising that while Americans grapple with the consequences of war and recession, media personalities and future presidential hopefuls are preying on their fears.

For the past several weeks, talk radio and cable news has been abuzz with the controversy regarding the proposed Islamic center in lower Manhattan, not far from the site of the 2001 terrorist attacks that killed thousands of people and destroyed the World Trade Center.

Because of the hyperbole with which this topic has been discussed in the media, it is understandable—though regrettable—that many Americans have a negative reaction to the proposal. It is extremely unfortunate, however, that some of our would-be leaders are using this moment to fan the flames of division and intolerance.

The question of whether Muslims in New York have the right to build an Islamic Center near Ground Zero isn’t really a question at all: Of course they do; this is America. Religious freedom is one of the foundations upon which this nation was built. Every American has the right to worship how and where they see fit.

This principle, enshrined in the First Amendment to the Constitution, is one of many that make me proud to be an American. But others apparently think it should be revisited. For example, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich recently suggested that when it comes to religious freedom, America should follow the lead of Saudi Arabia.

“There should be no mosque near Ground Zero in New York so long as there are no churches or synagogues in Saudi Arabia,” Gingrich said.

Gingrich is clearly hoping to ride this issue all the way to the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, though I don’t know that suggesting that America take its cues from an Islamic theocracy is the best strategy.

Not all opponents of the New York mosque are making as radical a case as the former House speaker. Some have acknowledged that Muslims have the right to build a mosque in lower Manhattan, but say they should have the decency to refrain from exercising that right because of the attacks of nine years ago.

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Mayor Coleman Announces Pilot Program for Neighborhood Safety Cameras

Joined by Columbus City Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther, Columbus Division of Police officials and neighborhood leaders, Mayor Michael B. Coleman today announced a pilot project that will put safety cameras in five Columbus neighborhoods. Cameras will be phased in, the first of which will be operational in early summer, in Weinland Park, the Hilltop, Mount Vernon Avenue, South Linden and Livingston Avenue.

“These cameras are not a silver bullet to end crime in the City of Columbus,” Mayor Coleman said. “They will be another tool officers can use to potentially prevent crimes before they happen and solve crimes after they happen.”

The five neighborhoods were chosen because leaders and residents of those areas expressed a desire for safety cameras. Additionally, Columbus patrol officers and crime statistical analysts determined cameras will be effective in those neighborhoods. The number of cameras for each neighborhood will determined by what it will take to cover the hotspots in each area. Neighborhood safety cameras will be monitored at peak crime hours.

“The neighborhood safety camera pilot program has the potential to significantly impact crime and will assist law enforcement apprehend and prosecute criminals,” said Councilmember Ginther, chair of the Public Safety Committee. “It is yet another way we can help our Division of Police work harder and smarter through the use of technology.”

As a pilot project, this program will be subject to changes to ensure its success. The purchase and installation of the cameras will be funded by the city’s Capital Improvements Budget, thereby not using operating funds that can be used for police officers. Privacy concerns will be addressed by using software that masks residential windows. The city will also provide high-level training for staff members tasked with viewing the video and keep accurate records of who accesses this video and for what reasons.

Recommended Neighborhood Camera Location Maps*

*Camera Locations Are Subject to Change