The crime emergency results also illustrate what can happen when a sense of focus and urgency by the police is supported by strong leadership and support from the Mayor and the Council. To continue the progress we have made to date, it is critically important that certain elements of the emergency legislation that was enacted in July be extended beyond the October 19 expiration date.  And in the case of Closed Circuit Television, it is essential that we have more time to evaluate more fully the effectiveness of this approach in combating crime in our neighborhoods. Our initial analysis suggests that CCTV cameras do hold great promise for curbing neighborhood crime.

Over the past several weeks, our Department installed a total of 48 cameras, spanning all seven police districts in the city. This was a truly Herculean effort on the part of the MPD, the District Department of Transportation, the Office of Contracting and Procurement, and others, to get that many cameras up and running in such a short period of time. To date, we have had a handful of cases in which detectives have reviewed video from the cameras, but none has produced useful evidence thus far.

But keep in mind that CCTV is not simply about solving crimes that have already occurred.  Experience suggests that CCTV cameras can have an impact on preventing crime and enhancing perceptions of safety in neighborhoods that have cameras. We are currently analyzing both of these factors.  And while our results are preliminary, they are also very encouraging.

Based on our analysis of locations where cameras were installed during August, violent crime has decreased by 73 percent when compared to the same period of 2005.  Property crime has decreased by 57 percent, producing an overall 64 percent reduction in crime in the “viewsheds” of those particular cameras. We plan to expand this analysis to include more cameras, a longer time frame and any “spill-over” effect the cameras may have on locations near the cameras.

In addition to analyzing preliminary crime data, our Department also conducted a brief survey of the Advisory Neighborhood Commissioners representing those locations with cameras installed during August. Fourteen of 21 Commissioners we contacted responded, and their response was overwhelmingly positive about the cameras. The vast majority of ANC Commissioners stated that people feel safer with cameras in their neighborhoods; they believe that CCTV cameras will help prevent crime, and they want additional cameras in their neighborhoods. All but one Commissioner said they had received positive feedback from residents living in the areas with cameras, and 77 percent reported receiving very positive feedback.

These perceptions of neighborhood safety are important because individual perceptions ultimately affect behavior. In other words, people are more likely to go out in their neighborhoods when they feel safe. And when more law-abiding residents are out in our neighborhoods, criminal activity tends to diminish.

I recognize that CCTV cameras have not totally eliminated crime from the locations where cameras have been installed. Last Sunday’s double homicide on 13th Place, SE, is evidence of that. But it is also important to remember that the locations with cameras are, after all, areas with significant crime problems to begin with. So it should not be unexpected that there would be criminal activity there.
But it appears that criminal activity has been reduced – and reduced significantly. We could certainly use more time to gauge the cameras’ effectiveness and impact.