Gavin Newsom
2007-09-07 10:00:00.0
Current rank: Not ranked

SAN FRANCISCO -

Although crime is down in almost every major category in San Francisco, the homicide rate has risen here, as it has in most big cities, to unacceptable levels. To improve public safety, my administration has proposed a number of new initiatives, including a pilot program of placing security cameras in high crime areas.

This technology has been deployed in other U.S. cities and in other countries, and the results vary from very effective to only slightly effective. In the United Kingdom, where the cameras were pioneered, crime dropped dramatically in most of the areas where cameras were used.

Here in the United States, cameras are gaining widespread acceptance, with cities such as Chicago leading the way. Chicago now has more than 2,000 cameras installed, and law enforcement leaders there credit the cameras with helping to lower crime.

This crime-fighting tool has been successfully used in a number of public housing sites. In Boston, where they were part of a pilot project in three public housing projects, they were credited with helping to lower crime by nearly 30 percent at those sites.

Here in San Francisco, we approached this issue thoughtfully, with consideration of privacy issues and community concerns. We are still in a testing phase, but I like the results so far. While we are still learning how to make the most effective use of this new tool, the small number of cameras has already helped in solving a small number of crimes. Based on the evidence, I strongly believe they will also do something much more important than solve crimes — the cameras will help prevent crimes and make neighborhoods safer.

So far, the pilot program is showing some good results. Preliminary analysis of the data shows that crime rates fell in key locations where cameras were placed: 19th and Mission, Eddy and Divisidero, Scott and Eddy, 26th and Treat, and Turk and Scott.

In the grand scheme of our overall budget for safety, the $500,000 we’ve invested in this pilot project is well worth the effort if the cameras bring peace of mind, safer communities and better conviction rates when crimes do occur. That’s why I support extending the crime camera tests to 25 new sites in those areas where neighbors are asking for this tool.

Cameras alone are far from enough. But along with the hiring of new police officers, the increased deployment of beat patrol officers and a sustained emphasis on proven crime-prevention strategies, I believe the cameras will help us continue to lower the crime rate.

Gavin Newsom is the mayor of San Francisco.

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