Cape Coral Florida Video Surveillance Cameras

Here's my presentation to Cape Coral City Council meeting concerning video surveillance cameras in my city.

Here's the letter I sent to my Councilman:

Derrick Donnell (Cape Coral City Council Member),

It is a gross understatement to say that I am fed up with the video surveillance cameras popping up all over our city. Currently I am "asking" for them to be disabled and removed. Especially the ones mounted on traffic light booms at intersections pointed directly in my windshield at my face, and pointed at your face, and pointed at everyone else's face as well.

They are just bad on so many levels.

You can find good information about them at this link:


http://consumercal.blogspot.com/2008/12/surveillance-society-new-high-tech.html

A few questions I would like to have answered:

1) What is or are the name or names of the city officials who authorized the county to install the video surveillance cameras in my city, on my city streets?

2) Are there plans and blueprints regarding the installation of those camera systems, submitted by the county to the city for review and inspection, in order to maintain compliance with all city ordinances and regulations thereof? If so, can I see these plans and approval by our city inspectors?

3) The video feeds from those cameras go into utility boxes, usually located next to the traffic light control boxes. Is the public land on which those boxes are installed and located being leased or sold? How much money is the city getting from the county for allowing the county the privilege of having them there?

4) The electricity for powering those cameras has to be paid for by someone. Is the city paying to power those cameras, or is the county, and how much? If the county is responsible for the cameras, then it should be paying the electric bill for them. If the county is not paying the bill, then can we cut the electricity off to those cameras and how soon?

5) What is the resolution and frame rate specs on the surveillance cameras installed, and can we have a demonstration of the systems power and capability at the next city council meeting?

6) How much money has the city spent so far on a public awareness campaign concerning the surveillance camera system?

7) What is the timetable for my questions to be answered? I don't expect comprehensive answers in a matter of days, but a few weeks or a month would be nice.



On another matter that involves our city, I want to let you know in case you are not aware...

Cape Coral was #1 in the nation on two separate occasions last year......IN FORECLOSURES!

I would like to help our city by giving you some ideas on how to attract individuals and families to want to move to our fair city over other places in the country. Desperate times call for desperate measures. So it is with great pleasure and fanfare that I announce the First Annual Most Free City In America Competition. I invite Cape Coral to participate in this friendly competition, and perhaps win it. Who in America wouldn't want to live in The Most Free City in America?

One of the metrics and hallmarks of this competition will be the City with the Fewest Surveillance Cameras Per Capita Surveilling the Citizenry. Perhaps we could sponsor workshops for keeping our citizens' rights in shape. Rights fitness workshops will retrain us on how we are permitted to exercise our rights and keep them in shape. This will be another metric and hallmark of a proud city that competes annually to distinguish itself as The Most Free City in America.

I came up with a slogan, maybe we can use it:

"Keep Your Rights in Shape, Exercise Them!"

I hope you take these issues seriously, because I am dead serious about them.

Thank You,
Michael J. Norton

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Israel
• Palestine
• Video
• Surveillance
• Cameras
• Privacy
• Rights
• Ghost
• Pictures

[AnAnonymousStudent]

It is legal to photograph anyone on a public street, for any reason. This man hasn't a legal leg to stand on.

[Michaelwiseguy]

A measure of privacy is guaranteed by the Constitution. The surveillance state oversteps the bounds of the US Constitution.

[Michaelwiseguy]

The cameras are installed by agents of your government who work for you. You have a say weather you want them there or not. I'd prefer my tax dollars not go for that sort of thing.

[boosuff]

"they are not active full time" these idiots always come up with some legitimate sounding excuse...I'm sorry but it doesn't matter what the reason is, it can and will be used for nefarious reasons im sure.

[Michaelwiseguy]

But they are active at times.

[servingswfl]

Glad someone stepped up to the plate and asked a legitimate question about the law and the economics thereof ...

[nancy33993]

You can't go anywhere in public without being caught on closed-circuit TV or security cam. Michael, what are you doing that you even begin to care about cameras at intersections? You plannin on robbin a bank? Are you one of those guys riding around exposing themselves? You got a warrant for your arrest? tsk tsk

[grosenaw]

What are you doing that you need to hide from... my advice. Stop beatin you meat in the front seat. Its a matter of public safety. To catch hit and runs, drunk driving etc. Try to focus you time on something useful.

[uploadJ]

Oh - you've seen those too?

Do a Google search on "Traffic Detector Handbook" and there are several good links that come up, including the FHWA website that documents how they work.

Basically, those cameras go to a controller in that large electronics box near the intersection ... the video does NOT go back to a central monitoring center. The video is low quality, can't distinguish a face as it is meant to recognize objects the size of CARS and Trucks. I'm not sure they see bikes/people.

[HiddenFacedMatt]

What's to stop eyewitnesses from lying instead? @hecking1

[MrGrevy]

@AnAnonymousStudent You may want to go back to school my friend. If they're used to convict him, he has a right to cross examine and examine the evidence. It's not possible to cross examine an unmanned camera. Maybe common sense isn't your strong suit?

[SuperVkg]

@AnAnonymousStudent last time i checked, the inside of my vehicle wasnt open to the public, payed for by me, and considered my private property.

[outled]

Good on you for taking a stand, i (in the uk) do not consent to being filmed either.

[outled]

@AnAnonymousStudent he'll just have to stand on his stronger moral legs then. Who cares for laws, they do not correlate with reality.

[hecking1]

@Michaelwiseguy You can't be that gullable.

[hecking1]

For those of you calling on the Constitution,come on fellas,that America died approx.100 years ago. The remnant that remained during our childhood is gone and the majority of the populuos are more interested in some idiotic tv program than our constitutional rights.