In their continuing effort to clean up Pioneer Park and rid it of its reputation as being a home for drug dealers, Salt Lake police Wednesday unveiled four surveillance cameras set up on each side of the park.
"This is really a supplement to what we have been doing and plan on doing in the future," said Salt Lake Police Chief Chris Burbank.
The goal of using cameras is to deter crime, detect crime and increase or enhance the ability to prosecute crimes committed at the park with improved evidence provided by the cameras, he said. Burbank points to other cities such as Washington, D.C., and Chicago where similar camera systems have been successful. But he admits the effectiveness of Salt Lake's program "remains to be seen."
"This is really a pilot project for us," he said Wednesday.
Some, such as the Utah chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, have expressed concerns over the use of the cameras. Opponents are worried the cameras constitute too much Big Brother watching over them.
"I have the exact same concerns," said Burbank while calling the cameras a "tremendous responsibility."
The department has a five-page policy on how officers can use the cameras, the reports they must file when using them and how the actions of the officers will also be monitored.
"We have (cameras) in libraries, public schools … we have cameras in nearly every private retail establishment across the country. They don't have the level of supervision we have," Burbank said.
But in a statement released Wednesday, the ACLU said it was "disturbed by the growing use of surveillance cameras in public places."
Executive director Karen McCreary said the cameras not only threaten civil liberties, but they don't really do anything to deter crime or increase public safety.
"Technology can't replace community policing; surveillance cameras are not an easy, quick fix to preventing or solving crimes," McCreary said.
Other concerns by the ACLU include abuse of the cameras for personal purposes such as voyeurism and how the information collected by police will be shared.
The chief stressed the cameras will not be monitored 24-7. In most cases, the cameras will be used to look for recorded evidence after a crime occurs, he said.
Furthermore, the cameras will only be used to supplement enforcement efforts around the park. It will not replace them, Burbank said. And there will be no effort to hide the cameras. They are in plain view at the park and there are signs written in both English and Spanish posted throughout the park advising patrons they may be monitored.
Some of the homeless who frequent the park were not impressed, complaining of being hassled by police officers.
"As long as we can use it both ways," said Craig, looking at the large gathering of law enforcement at the park to unveil the cameras. "Of course they're going to abuse it."
Whether or not the camera project is successful will determine if it's expanded to other areas or scrapped altogether. The problem, Burbank said, is figuring out how to quantify crime that is prevented because of the presence of the cameras.
"How do you measure the crimes that don't occur, no matter what enforcement measures we take?" he asked.
Nevertheless, crime around the Pioneer Park area will be monitored this summer and compared to past years to see if there is any difference, he said.
Contributing: Ben Winslow
E-MAIL: preavy@desnews.com