I had to tell her that kind of "side" wasn't precisely my position, and I proceeded to explain to her that I'd be more interested in discussing things like return on investment and in what cases I thought cameras were applicable and when they are not, and I would explain that privacy is something everyone considers -- even those who install surveillance cameras. "Cameras can be a useful tool when their are certain needs," I explained, "but I'm not going to say they are right for every situation." That gave her pause. "Well maybe we need some sort of right-wing nut who would say that." I reiterated that you wouldn't classify me as a right-wing nut, and that in any discussion of technology implementation, I would have to take an educated and moderate standpoint on the issue.
Well, apparently they have found a right-wing nut, she tells me today, so I'll just be a listener. The radio station is KCRW and the show is "The Politics of Culture," and yes, in today's ".com" age, you'll be able to find that broadcast on the web shortly afterwards. With any luck it won't just be a civil libertarian vs. a "right-wing nut", but might just delve into real issues that city populations should consider when assessing municipal security deployments, but I'm not holding my breath. Frankly, as someone who offers his words as a voice for our industry, I'm wary of the perception that we are all camera-crazy nuts, when I know that privacy is an issue that we all wrestle with daily, whether it's with zone masking on cameras or concerning yourself with protecting the identities and lives of your employees.
--Geoff

Geoff Kohl | Editorial Director/Editor-in-Chief/Associate Publisher
Geoff Kohl is the Marketing Director for the Security Industry Association (SIA). He is the former Editor-in-Chief of SecurityInfoWatch.com