Policy Order O-18

WHEREAS: As part of a Department of Homeland Security grant the City of Cambridge received funds to install eight security cameras throughout the city for the stated purposes of monitoring evacuation routes; and

WHEREAS: At the January 22

WHEREAS: The Department of Homeland Security grant application was very flexible allowing communities to write their own application making it nearly impossible for the Department of Homeland Security to reject the application; and

WHEREAS: In the grant guidelines, communities must install the technology infrastructure along with the cameras; and

WHEREAS: Public safety officials were hard pressed to convincingly illustrate why these eight cameras would enhance and significantly expand their abilities to keep Cambridge residents safe (belief being that they already have the capacity to do this job); and

WHEREAS: The City Council has only recently learned of the existence of these surveillance cameras, although the planning and infrastructure installation has been going on for a long time (4-6 years according to some sources) and the cameras are scheduled to be turned on at the end of the month; and

WHEREAS: Cambridge is 6.2 square miles. Under extraordinary circumstances there would be a heavy increase in traffic - public safety officials already know where the traffic log jams will occur and can already identify alternative routes based on the eight locations of the cameras; and

WHEREAS: At this time, the potential threats to invasion of privacy and individual civil liberties outweigh the current benefits – which do not seem significant in improving public safety; now therefore be it

RESOLVED: That this City Council go on record opposing the installation of these eight Department of Homeland Security surveillance cameras; and be it further

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to ensure that these cameras not be installed in Cambridge.