Councilman James Oddo
Posted on 09/30/2009 8:19:44 AM PDT by BGHater
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It could be a van with a plumber logo on it or a yellow livery cab. Or maybe it's a generic gray sedan, driven by a man who looks like an accountant.
The only way you will really know what the top-secret surveillance vehicle that recently hit the streets of the Mid-Island's 122nd Precinct looks like is if you get busted in some criminal act.
Similar to the one launched by the Island's MTA police two years ago, the $55,000 high-tech ride was funded by City Councilman James Oddo (R-Mid-Island/Brooklyn) to help combat quality-of-life crimes. The "vehicle" has helped nab dozens of graffiti vandals on and around the Staten Island Railroad.
Oddo had a warning for others:
"People should think long and hard before they do anything wrong, because we are watching."
Advance sources are mum on the exact make and model of the vehicle, but did say it is equipped with a periscope, digital cameras, recorders and some "neat computer stuff."
Councilman James Oddo
Fascist? Perhaps to some. What would You do if you were constantly asked for 'donations', had your windshield 'washed', had to 'request' people to not sit/sleep in your business doorway.... ?
You may not like the actions that Giuliani used, but many did and the results were positively noted by many others.
crimes which the local official can charge for being on the wrong side of the rail road tracks after dark.
see also West Palm Beach’s infamous worker ID card for “non residents” traveling in THEIR city...
I don’t know exactly how to feel about this?! Help.
“What exactly is a “quality of life” crime?”
Disagreeing with The Kenyan.
Displaying Joker poster of The Kenyan.
Critcizing Saskwatch’s rag bag clothes.
Listening to Conservative talk radio.
Listening to really bad guitar at full volume is a "quality of life" crime.
So Councilman Oddo paid for this himself?
Already been ruled on by SCOTUS if I recall.
Lol. Please stop, your giving out Gimto interrogations techniques.
I guess we are all racists AND criminals?
That is one of the biggest fallacies that statists have put forth in modern times. My life is not laid bare just because I step outside my front door. I strongly suggest you readjust your line of thinking.
Isn't that 0bama's poverty trickle down program (or was it trickle up?).
A person doesn’t not have a right to privacy in public, that is why it is called “PUBLIC”.
If you had that right I couldn’t go out side and take pictures in the park with other people because I would be violating their right to privacy.
Yeah, just don't let 0bama know.
It really depends on what they are doing with this.
If they have abandoned homes in this area, if the owners are letting the grass grow, crack houses are abounding, then this MIGHT be a good thing.
HOWEVER, I am VERY suspicious when they have to hide the fact they are doing “quality of life” snooping. Do they really need to sneak?
I suspect this is the same company that is doing the absurd redlight cameras for purposes of generating revenue.
IF the company that is doing the snooping is getting paid per citation then this is a very bad thing and quite frankly violates one of the earliest USSC cases which forbit magistrates from earning income from the fines they issue.
I suspect this snooping is about generating money via a private firm and not about actual quality of life.
See ‘Broken Windows’ theories.
The tolerance of low level anti-social behaviors like vandalism, panhandling, public intoxication, etc., encourages more of the same and other, worse behaviors.
I happen to agree. Back in the days when you could still find public pay phones a local petty drug dealer laid claim to the one on the wall outside the door of the store I worked in.
No one was allowed to use “his” phone as he might miss an “important call”.
The harassment and intimidation began to drive customers away and the police would do nothing.
The owner finally had enough and he and his brothers put the guy in the hospital. The dealer decided to move his business elsewhere.
Legal? No.
On the other hand it was the owner’s money and life the dealer was screwing with, basically spitting in his face and defying him to do anything about it.
If the person you just took a picture of demands you delete it, you have to. You seem to think rights evaporate depending on circumstance. They don’t.
Are ther laws governing what they can and cannot do, or is it up to them? This seems right and wrong at the same time.
I am really curious if this is another “make money” survelance speed trap/ticket van company and the legislator funding this is an investor. I am just suspicious of politicians.
Now if this is about catching grafiti artists there seems to be an few much easier ways to do this.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.