Sharing Video from Surveillance Cameras Makes Sense

A report from Baltimore has the city police and Johns Hopkins Hospital agreeing to share data from their surveillance cameras with one another. Video from 136 cameras around the hospital campus will now stream into the city's surveillance office. The Johns Hopkins' police department will have access to video from six city cameras monitoring the neighborhood surrounding the campus.

The city is also negotiating a similar deal with the Maryland Transit Administration. This would allow the police to share surveillance camera video from bus stops and light rail stations.

Patrick Fiel, ADT's public safety advisor, said this type of arrangement makes tremendous sense and should serve as a model for other cities in combining video from public and private surveillance cameras.

"Every major city may have dozens of groups -- police, schools, colleges and universities, business organizations and redevelopment agencies -- operating surveillance cameras that can provide law enforcement with a broad view of the city," he said. "Especially with today's tight budgets, it makes sense for these groups to freely share their video data with each other. That can help each do a better job of keeping its citizens, students and employees safer."

-- PSW Staff

Image- Patrick V. Fiel