Police forces around the globe are depending more and more on CCTV to solve crimes and catch criminals. In the case of the Boston Marathon bombings, which killed 3 people and injured a hundred others, police went through hundreds of hours of video footage to identify the two terrorists, who planted the bombs.
However not all Americans are in favor of more video surveillance. In a recent poll, only about 40% of those asked said they wanted more TV cameras in public places
Currently police rely not only on public TV cameras but also on private cameras that have been installed by businesses and other private citizens over the past few years. Together they guarantee that big cities are constantly observed and police can concentrate on crime hot spots. With video technology becoming cheaper, more and more people are having video surveillance installed
The 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre brought a major increase in public cameras and police surveillance. Today, cities like New York have a system that not only can observe places but track events. All video feeds are directed to a command centre where a sophisticated software system can filter out crucial situations. When the police see something suspicious they can direct more of their forces to a certain area and concentrate on it
While most security experts predict that the number of surveillance cameras will increase in the next years, the public feels constantly observed. And while almost every cell phone can take pictures there are more still images that contribute to observation. In addition, the new Google Glass , a computer that you can actually wear, makes it possible to capture images and videos everywhere you go.
There are others who claim that running more and more CCTV cameras does not contribute to a safer city. In London, a city with the highest density of CCTV cameras installed, authorities have stated that there is no connection between the number of CCTVs and the crime rate. City security officials say that more money should be spent on improving street lighting and other city infrastructure.
