Video surveillance cameras on the streets of T.O.

A couple of months ago I was watching the news (CTV) and one of the headlines was “Toronto police are calling for permanent video surveillance cameras to be installed in the downtown core after a violent weekend. (http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20061112/
nightclub_violence_061113/20061113/?hub=TorontoHome ). Due to such high crime rates in Toronto in the past few years police and other levels of government believe that having these cameras installed in the streets of Toronto will make solving crimes easier, not to mention make the streets feel more safe. Though this may all sound like a good idea a lot has to be taken into consideration. Such as will this actually solve all the problems of crime and other violent related activities that take place on the streets of Toronto? Also will it take away privacy from the streets and peoples lives? Or just end up costing more money for the City of Toronto. I believe that installing these video surveillance cameras on the streets of Toronto is a bad idea because it will cost the city millions of dollars to produce and install. The idea of using cameras to help protect the city and not Police and RCMP officers proves that either the officers are not doing their jobs properly or Toronto is suffering from poor planning in preventing crimes. Even though technology is taking over peoples jobs doesn’t mean that technology is capable of doing everything. By installing these surveillance cameras people will feel as if they are being watched 24-7 and at the same time feel insecure about whether they are doing something right or wrong. This also takes away privacy from the city life of Toronto. Overall these surveillance cameras could only pick up and enhance certain activities taking place in the city, which will not help put an end to crime.

Tina Santarcangelo