St. Paul City Council approves police surveillance cameras along University Avenue

Part of the Safe City Initiative - a partnership between the city, the St. Paul Police Department and area businesses to reduce crime - the closed-circuit cameras will be the first broad-based surveillance technology deployed in the city.

"This is really going to give the police, and ultimately citizens, better coverage of the areas where they want coverage," said police Cmdr. Doug Holtz, who is heading the Central Corridor phase of the project. "It helps us detect crimes, deter crimes and investigate crimes."

Holtz said the majority of funding for the cameras will come from a $1.2 million federal grant, with an additional $300,000 donated by Target Corp.

The 25 cameras will stretch from the edge of Minneapolis near the University of Minnesota to Robert Street in downtown St. Paul, with all of the cameras attached to and powered by streetlights. The cameras also will be able to transmit video wirelessly. When the system is completed, it may be possible for police to watch a crime occurring in real time on a laptop in a squad car as they drive to the scene.

The Central Corridor is the first phase of a plan that will eventually include another 60 cameras downtown and near the St. Paul port. Police hope to have them installed in time for next year's Republican National Convention, according to police Cmdr. Todd Axtell, in charge of the port cameras initiative.

According to University of Minnesota sociology professor Ross Macmillan, who specializes in criminology, police in Europe have used closed-circuit television surveillance cameras for years. They are beginning to catch on in the United States as well. San Francisco, Chicago and Minneapolis have installed similar systems. Despite opponents who question their effectiveness, Macmillan said he believes cameras do deter crime.

"When people know or think they're being watched, they're more likely to guard their behavior," he said, noting that vandalism and disorderly conduct are the crimes most likely to be prevented by cameras. Recent studies in the United Kingdom have shown cameras can reduce the number of car thefts.

"I think it's a positive addition to the Central Corridor. It will make sure that the public feels safe and should be a deterrent to those folks who want to commit negative actions," said 1st Ward Council Member Debbie Montgomery, who represents much of the Central Corridor area.

Civil liberties advocates have raised concerns that the cameras are an infringement on privacy.

Macmillan disagrees.

"It's surveillance of an open, public area," he said. "If a police officer was standing there with a camera, no one would claim it was an infringement of civil liberties."

Holtz said the Safe City Initiative will be setting up an oversight committee for the police to meet with groups of citizens and business owners to discuss issues of privacy and camera placement.

"We think this is a big part of becoming a partner with the community, so there can be a dialogue about these cameras," Holtz said. He added that the Safe City Initiative will include training for Metro Transit workers, Public Works employees and private security guards who may use the system.

The police department will have viewing kiosks at its downtown headquarters and at the Western District station on Hamline Avenue for the public to see how the system is used.

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