D.C. police will launch a real-time crime center at Metropolitan Police Department headquarters to monitor surveillance cameras around the clock.
Police are entering agreements with federal law enforcement and police from Maryland and Virginia. The agreements involve U.S. Park Police, U.S. Capitol Police and the Secret Service.
The crime center will monitor surveillance cameras 24/7, every day of the year.
Full story: DC launching real-time crime center to monitor surveillance cameras
The concern of whether the MPD can staff the crime center 24/7 while also having enough officers on the streets is understandable, and it’s a question that needs to be asked. The mayor acknowledged the challenge while reassuring the public that the MPD can do it, but staffing challenges like this make one question the workload put on police officers. The staffing challenges can also affect the public, as with less staff comes longer response times, and with lower response times comes lower public trust. Not to mention the fact that their increased workload can have a serious affect on the police officers which can result in burnout. While it seems as if the crime center is feasible and necessary, are there other ways that it could be worked other than being staffed 24/7?
I do believe that is a very valid concern, with everything you’ve explained already, I do believe it is possible to fix the staffing issue however. They could hire non-sworn officers rather than having actual officers fill those positions. This would allow them to have their workloads decreased while having the extra benefit of providing more jobs to those qualified. Though the hiring process and even making this position viable to be created may be difficult, the benefits would most likely outweigh the cost needed.
Staffing issues and workload concerns are a seemingly ever present issue in our society but within and outside of our criminal justice system. As it stands this seems to be a matter of risk, reward, and which carries more weight but I don’t necessarily think it has to be. We live in a world where there is so much technology that seems to change everyday. This fact can be used to our advantage in a lot of cases including this one. Having a real time crime center would be a great addition to the force but does it require a body at all times. Could we figure out a way to possibly do it remotely or work with existing positions to share the weight? I think the principle is good, we just need to narrow in on the best option for operation.
I like the point you make that these technological advances could be used to overcome staffing issues within police departments. I think people who are not willing to jump into the “risk” aspect of the job could stick to these more mild surveillance jobs in permanent centers. On the other end, how will the public respond when they know they are being monitored 24 hours a day if they are in public. Are the police ensuring that no cameras are violating citizens rights by pointing into homes?
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