Seattle Pays $150K To Remove Unused Surveillance Cameras

My understanding is that these cameras were installed under a Homeland Security grant and intended to be used for "port security". To that end, about 30 cameras were installed along at various locations along the Seattle waterfront and connected using a wireless mesh network.

Unfortunately, many camera locations were near public parks and major tourist areas, and the citizens in this very liberal city began to wonder what "big brother" intended to use these cameras for. Many of the cameras were also positioned so that they could potentially be used to view residential areas including the many luxury condominiums that overlook the Seattle waterfront. Many citizens were outraged that their privacy could be invaded. The City Council soon took action to prohibit the us of the cameras until a "thorough vetting" of the policy regarding the use of these cameras could be established.

Many years passed and eventually the City determined that the cameras were more trouble than they were worth and decided to remove them.

Here is a pretty good summary of the situation from the West Seattle Blog.

Until someone gets killed in the park or tourist area, then they will be screaming for the cameras..

150K to remove the cameras sounds kind of hefty. Is there some type of significant electrical work to be done, such as disconnecting from the power line?

Micheal is exactly right.

SPD had many unused cameras stored away collecting dust that they couldn't use as well  

San Francisco

Another failed experiment in California. 

 Hat tip, MM.

Pretty sure Camover would have done it cheaper, not sure if they have a us presense yet;)

I sent this link to John primarily because of the irony involved in Seattle potentially (probably?) paying the very same integrator to uninstall the very same cameras that they the taxpayers paid to put up on poles years ago.

Anyone know if it actually was the same crew that did both sides of this job?

Michael?

Why doesn't the city of Seattle have to pay back the $5M from the original Homeland Security grant that paid for the 28 cameras and wireless mesh network that were never turned on?

I bet the vendor/designer was glad that did not go online.  What a terrible install.  I am not sure what that camera is (looks kind of like Dotworkz).  Also curious why a multiple radio (2.4/900/5.8) design with omni antennas (in addition to low gain directional) is being used to skirt the shoreland.

5milliion / 30 cameras = 150k plus each camera?  (I generally charge about 6k per PTZ via wireless in metro areas).

If anyone remembers, Metrofi (skypilot radios) put in a citywide public mesh network in about 2004 i believe (Seattle)  It was shortly after this that they tried to figure out what it was for.  (this is where ruckus came in, providing wireless repaeaters for consumers to pickup outside wireless to rebroadcast inside).  I remember them deploying radios at street corners, with 3-4x radios needed than originally designed.  Interference made it unusable.  (Note: I deployed a Skypilot with 4.9 in 2006.  Still running today-one gateway and 10 extenders and 20 connectors based on metro comm towers).

 You would have thought that the city would already be against a “mesh network”.  From the diagram, it looks like, in addition to camera video transport, someone was once again trying to create client local access with low gain multiple frequency omnis.

I could have “converted” them all to dummy cameras for half the price!

Bahahaha...they dont want guns, they dont want cameras...so what do they do exactly? Hold hands and sing kumbaya?