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Chief says more time needed to evaluate usefulness of surveillance camera on State Street

By Howard B. Owens

statestreetcamerasept152015.jpg

A little more than a year ago, Batavia PD installed a surveillance camera on State Street near Hutchins Place, but Chief Shawn Heubusch said that a year's worth of use hasn't produced enough data to say if it's worthwhile for the city to invest in more such cameras for other locations.

There have been no criminal convictions resulting in use of the camera.

"A lot of times we look back and review footage and see if somebody is involved or not involved (in an incident)," Heubusch said. "It's always good to take a look back when you have video evidence of something."

Heubusch wouldn't reveal whether the camera's feed is regularly monitored, if whole periods of time are regularly reviewed, or if it's only reviewed in the case of specific incidents reported.

Making light of his reluctance to discuss that point, he said, "I don't know if I want to give any secrets away."

The camera was installed in August 2014 because that particular area had been a source of numerous calls for police service in the proceeding months.

Asked if he'd like more cameras, Heubusch said, "we're still evaluating this one."

"It's been up about a year," Heubusch said. "I don't know if that's the perfect time frame for an evaluation period. If it proves its worth, then yes."

The department also has available for patrols a number of body cameras, but not enough for every officer to wear them on every shift.

While body cameras have been touted in the national debate over police conduct, Heubusch said that's not why he wants his officers to wear them.

"The whole premise for my bringing body cameras to the City of Batavia was to collect evidence," Heubusch said. "It wasn't to monitor my officers. I don't think they need that. What it (the camera) does is collect evidence that can subsequently be used at trial or a proceeding so the officer's recollection is always there. You have it in black and white."

Jason Crater

"The whole premise for my bringing body cameras to the City of Batavia was to collect evidence," Heubusch said. "It wasn't to monitor my officers. I don't think they need that. What it (the camera) does is collect evidence for that can subsequently be used at trial or a proceeding so the officer's recollection is always there. You have it in black and white."

-It's 2015. Why didn't they buy body cameras that record in color? *sarcasm font*

Sep 15, 2015, 4:37pm Permalink
Peter O'Brien

I used to install that exact camera in casinos. Its a PTZ, Pan-Tilt-Zoom camera. Its powered by POE (power over ethernet) meaning there is a data connection in that box that goes back to a server that records the footage.

It is most effective when it is manned by someone using it to zoom in on suspicious behaviour. It can be programmed to move in a search pattern.

The city would have been better served with several fish eye cameras recording the street. They see in 360 degrees and software can be used to enhance sectors of the image.

Fisheye http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1056380-REG/axis_communications_0…

PTZ http://www.amazon.com/Axis-Q6032-E-Outdoor-Surveilance-Camera/dp/B002GH…

Sep 16, 2015, 2:51pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Good post, Peter. It looks a lot like a camera I used to admin for the newspaper in Ventura, which had pan, tilt, zoom and rotate, so I was assuming this camera had the same capabilities, but wasn't sure, so didn't say anything. We could save its stream, program it to store random images and periodic intervals or drive it (and site visitors could drive it).

In fact, here it is, still online (though I wonder if it's the same model camera we had when I was there; image quality is not as good as I remember it)

http://www.vcstar.com/news/beachcam

Sep 16, 2015, 3:31pm Permalink

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