Wednesday, May 25, 2011

When librarians and newspapers get stupid: King County Library System is removing its security cameras (Because it might help law enforcement)

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I've seen morons in government in my time, but this clown takes the cake.

He is establishing a "right to privacy" that doesn't exist, and which will ultimately increase crime, property damage, assaults and hinder law enforcement in catching the bad guys.

Combined with that is the Seattle Times, a not-bad newspaper that our local rag could do well to emulate, who did epic fail in the headline for this article by writing only that "King County Library System is removing its security cameras" without adding the hook, "because it might aid law enforcement."

This kind of stupidity and bueraucratic arrogance is unquantifiable.  It's the kind of thing running rampant down here with an out of control making decisions not out of need or ability to afford, but because they "can".  And if this guy was working for me I'd fire him so face it would take a week for his ass to catch up with him.

King County Library System is removing its security cameras

The King County Library System is removing security cameras from its libraries, worried that supplying security video to law-enforcement agencies could compromise patron privacy.

Seattle Times staff reporter
The King County Library System is removing security cameras from its libraries, worried that supplying security video to law-enforcement agencies could compromise patron privacy.
"We decided the cameras were not serving a purpose and were a point of contention with law enforcement," said Bill Ptacek, who as director of the county library system has the final say. "We don't want to be in an adversarial relationship. We believe intellectual freedom is the important part, so we got out of the camera business."

The library system, which serves 1.3 million patrons, and records more than 1 million visitors each month, has about four dozen security cameras in 10 of its 46 libraries. The cameras were installed beginning in 2006, both inside and outside the buildings, because of requests by librarians faced with petty crimes, vandalism and graffiti.

The issue over police access to video from the cameras came up in March, when a 77-year-old man was assaulted in the Woodmont Library parking lot, on Pacific Highway South in Des Moines. A man approached the library patron and asked for money. When the patron pulled out his wallet, the man stole it and pushed the library patron down, causing minor injuries.

As part of a Des Moines Police investigation, officers asked to see the tape from the security camera, but library officials said they wouldn't release it without a court order.

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1 comment:

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