A proposal in Washington, D.C., would give District police real-time access to video from any private security cameras trained on city streets and alleys, but the effort to boost crime-fighting capabilities is also raising concerns about personal privacy, NBC reports.
D.C. police often post private video on YouTube to help identify suspects or persons of interest in crimes, but Ward 6 Council member Tommy Wells wants police to electronically access private security cameras in real-time, not just after a crime is committed.
“We have, really, too many restrictions that do not allow the police to fully use cameras to detect crime in real time,” Wells says in the NBC article.
However, others in D.C. worry about invasion of privacy, while noting the importance of safety and security.