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LAPD to increase surveillance camera use at housing projects
The Nickerson Gardens housing project in South Los Angeles. File photo.
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LAPD to increase surveillance camera use at housing projects
LAPD to increase surveillance camera use at housing projects
Los Angeles plans to add 125 police cameras at public housing projects across the city.
The LAPD plans to place the cameras inside the Nickerson Gardens, Imperial Courts and Jordan Downs housing projects in South L.A., and the Ramona Gardens housing project in East L.A.
Police officers will periodically monitor them from nearby LAPD stations. Ten cameras will have license plate recognition technology.
The city’s using $7 million in federal stimulus dollars to pay for them.
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At a press conference, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa called the “safety cameras” a “powerful law enforcement tool to deter crime.” That contrasted with one study that indicated ten cameras already in Jordan Downs have had little effect on crime. A spokesman for the mayor said crime’s down 40 percent in Jordan – and argued that’s in part because of the cameras.
The American Civil Liberties Union has called on the city to end the use of public cameras, saying they are a “threat” to privacy rights. The city's installed public cameras along Hollywood Boulevard and in MacArthur Park, among other places.
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
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