CHICAGO (AP) — A leading civil rights group wants Chicago to stop expanding its network of thousands of cameras covering the city because of privacy issues, First Amendment concerns and a lack of regulation, according to a report released Tuesday.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois
called for a full review of the cameras — which number at least 10,000 and are
at locations from skyscrapers to utility poles — saying city officials won't
release basic information like the exact number, cost and any incidents of
misuse.
Those concerns, along with city officials' plans
for expansion, put Chicago a step closer to a Big Brother invasion of privacy,
the ACLU alleged.
"Chicago's camera network invades the freedom
to be anonymous in public places, a key aspect of the fundamental American
right to be left alone," the report states. "Each of us then will
wonder whether the government is watching and recording us when we walk into a
psychiatrist's office, a reproductive health care center, a political meeting,
a theater performance, or a book store."
The system, which started less than a decade ago,
has been called the most extensive and integrated camera network of any U.S.
city by former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. Chicago police
have praised the cameras' use and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has even called
for cameras to be installed on every city corner to help fight crime.
Chicago police and Daley have lauded the cameras
and defended their use, saying they help authorities respond more quickly and
have led to more than 4,000 arrests. Daley's office didn't respond to requests
for comment about the report.
The network includes private cameras and those
installed by city agencies, like the Chicago Transit Authority. While many of
the cameras are visible — like those with flashing blue lights affixed to
street poles — countless others are unmarked. City officials have been
tight-lipped about how many cameras Chicago has in place, but no one has
disputed that there are at least 10,000, including more than 4,000 installed by
Chicago Public Schools and at least 1,000 at O'Hare International Airport.
In its report, the ACLU outlined three specific
technologies that exceed the powers of ordinary human observation and increase
the government's power to watch the public: zoom, facial recognition capacity
and automatic tracking.
"Chicago's growing camera network is part of
an expanding culture of surveillance in America. Combined with other government
surveillance technologies, cameras can turn our lives into open books for
government scrutiny," the report says. "Chicago's camera network
chills and deters lawful expressive activities protected by the First
Amendment, like attending a political demonstration in the public way."
ACLU officials said the city declined to give the
group information on the cameras, including a tour of its operation center,
statistics on crime and cost estimates. According to the report, surrounding
communities have paid hefty sums for cameras; suburban Cicero has 30 cameras
which cost $580,000.
The group said that money could be better spent on
adding more police officers to Chicago streets, among other things. It added
that there has been little research showing the cameras deter crime.
In addition to the moratorium, the agency
recommended more public input, regular audits, rules and regulation on who can
view the images, public notice before installing a camera and disclosure of any
abuse. The report cites cases in other cities where "male camera operators
have ogled women."
Public complaints about the cameras haven't been
widespread and are generally limited to those who get caught for a minor
offense or if the cameras fail to record a violent attack.
Authorities say cameras played a prominent role in
several high-profile cases. Footage from a city bus camera helped persuade a
suspected gang member to plead guilty to shooting a 16-year-old high school
student in 2007. Cameras helped police determine that the 2009 death of a
school board president was a suicide.
Chicago police spokeswoman Lt. Maureen Biggane said
she had not seen the ACLU report.
"The Chicago Police Department is committed to
safeguarding the civil liberties of city residents and visitors alike,"
she said in a statement. "Public safety is a responsibility of paramount
importance and we are fully committed to protecting the public from crime, and
upholding the constitutional rights of all."
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
