Kudos to HOI News for asking the Peoria Police Department about the effectiveness of their surveillance cameras. I was pleased to see they got reaction from Officer Ann Ruggles, the police department’s spokesperson. I e-mailed Ofc. Ruggles with my questions about the cameras Thursday morning and have yet to receive a reply.
They also got statistics on the number of police calls there have been to the two camera locations from 2004 to present. It looks to me like the number of calls dipped initially, but is now rising again. Perhaps the old saying is true: “Familiarity breeds contempt.”
http://www.switched.com/2007/09/21/surveillance-cams-dont-reduce-crime-study-finds/
The cameras weren’t the only thing in play with the Sheridan corner. The Neighborhood Association, the police department and the Liquor store developed a social contract in the middle of 2005 which has helped deter some of the crime. Residents call in problems more often, Guardian Angels have patrols, and the cameras. It is a combination of efforts in that area. Tonight’s flurry of police activity was not due to the store, but one of our lovely homes on Sheridan that is frequently the center of drugs, violence, etc. It was definately one of their family reunions. The residents of this house are either causing the problems directly or bringing in family/friends to cause problems. and Yep it is Section 8 multigeneration not gonna work family paired with a worthless slumlord who can’t be bothered to show up at their own court hearings.