This was taken on a field trip last year with Councilman Jack Weiss' office to see the LAPD cameras in action. The purpose: to see if this was something fit for any areas in his district. When I took out my camera, I asked if I could take pictures and video. And with no hesitation, they said yes. And with no hesitation, the police department said yes to putting it on the internet.

The cameras that line Hollywood Blvd. can zoom it pretty close (even closer than this video actually shows). As I sat there with an officer, he showed us how he operates them and how they program the cameras on specific and automated scans of streets when they are not being operated manually. As we were scanning one area, he put his finger up and said, "That guy! That guy right there, he's in a gang."

I asked if there were any big captures due to the cameras and only got a story of when they were first installed, someone stabbed someone and it was all caught on tape. It seems for the most part, people are keeping their Hollywood Blvd. shenanigans off-street, off-camera. But as we all know, the boulevard is still a full-time sketchville of fun.

From the streets, the LAPD cameras are actually harder to find than you think. Hollywood Blvd. is lined with cameras from private businesses and each street sign telling you there are LAPD cameras on the street does not mean there is a camera right there -- it is simply a warning that there are cameras in the area.

Pictures after the jump.