The Department of Homeland Security is fueling an enormous expansion in the purchase and use of video cameras by cities and states. DHS will issue $1.71 billion in grant funding to states and municipalities for fiscal 2009, of which $1.66 billion will go to programs that authorize the purchase of video surveillance equipment and training for personnel. The programs are the Urban Areas Security Initiative and the State Homeland Security Program.
This expansion comes in spite of the overwhelming evidence that video surveillance is not effective in fighting crime and has dubious security value.
Please take action!
Send a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano urging her to end funding for video cameras and direct that money to more civil liberties friendly, and more effective, security measures. More>
Send a letter to the editor. More>
Fight surveillance cameras in your community:
Materials like these sample documents from MA activists are a good place to start.
