-
See it…say something
by PublicSafetyWatch blog - Wednesday July 21, 2010
Recently, following on New York City Transit’s theme, See Something, Say Something, DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano announced the kickoff of a broader federal program to enlist the public in helping to identify suspicious people and events to provide another barrier to terrorism and other criminal activity on public transportation. She made the announcement in New York’s Penn Station, the nation’s busiest train station. Her comments were further echoed in Baltimore at the 34th Annual NOBLE event, an event of senior law enforcement leadership. The theme this year was “Helping to Change the Blueprint of Law Enforcement in America.” This national information-sharing partnership with DHS and Amtrak is part of the... -
Taking Transit Security Seriously
by PublicSafetyWatch blog - Tuesday July 13, 2010
I am very pleased to see two cities are taking positive steps to improve public transportation security – showing concern for their passengers and employees by leveraging proven technologies for crime prevention and police forensics. The Chicago Transit Authority has been very proactive. Each of its stations now has at least one high-definition camera funded through the Department of Homeland Security grant program. The CTA now has more than 1,800 cameras in place, up nearly 53 percent since March 2009. By the end of the year, the organization hopes to have 3,000 cameras operating. "Having cameras installed at every station is a valuable tool, both for security purposes and from an operations perspective as well," CTA President... -
Parking cams?
by PublicSafetyWatch blog - Thursday May 13, 2010
In a never-ending effort to find ways to raise revenue, cities continue to look at cameras in new and different ways. First there were red light cameras to catch us when we pushed a little too hard to beat that traffic light. Then came speed cameras to catch us when we were in too much of a hurry and ignored the speed limit. Now we have parking cameras. That's right, cameras that look for cars that have sat too long in limited-time parking spaces. Currently, enforcement officers must record license plate numbers and note the time by hand. Later this month, the city of Newton, Mass. will add cameras to its parking enforcement vehicles. Then as officers drive their routes the cameras will record and store license plate... -
Surveillance cameras do work
by PublicSafetyWatch blog - Tuesday May 4, 2010New York and Washington, D.C. newspapers have claimed that all of the surveillance cameras in the Times Square area didn't help in arresting a suspect in last weekend's attempted bombing in New York. But that doesn't mean cameras didn't play an important role. The first report was that NYPD was looking for a guy seen on camera taking off his shirt near the SUV packed with explosives. Turns out he wasn't a suspect. Before he drove the vehicle onto Manhattan, the alleged bomber heavily tinted the windows. The NYC cameras were never able to get a look at the driver. And he even put stolen license plates on the vehicle to make it harder yet to trace him. But as police started looking for the man who bought the SUV, the trail... -
Be alert using public transportation
by PublicSafetyWatch blog - Wednesday April 28, 2010
You can always count on thieves to quickly react to changes and take advantage of new opportunities. Recently the city of Boston completed installation of cell phone service for T-Mobile customers along the 11-mile Orange Line subway. So naturally, riders are now pulling phones from their purses and pockets and making calls and sending text messages while underground. Phone thieves have taken notice. During the first three months of 2010, phone snatching on Boston’s subways is up 70 percent over last year. AT&T is expected to begin testing on the Orange line soon and the city plans to have cellular coverage for its entire subway system by the end of 2011, providing even more opportunities for grab-and-run phone thieves...
