Stopping Drug Deals With Video Surveillance
The Chicago Police Department cites video surveillance as one of its main reasons for success against street corner drug operations. In this note, we share details from CPD Commander Elias Voulgaris who spoke at Secured Cities on how it helped.
The Problem
When the Vice Lords started selling drugs in open air markets, Chicago police started going after lower level dealers, but it was not having the impact they wanted. Cases were getting too easily thrown out because of the small amounts of drugs and cash the dealers carried. Plus, it was hard to convince a jury of the extent of the problem using only officer's written observations, the Commander said.
The Solution
**** ****-****, *** ****** ******** ********* ****** Patrol [**** ** ****** *********], *** first ************* ** **** ******* ** video ************ ** ******** *******'* ****-********** **** air **** *******. *** ****** **** ***** ** ****** interactions ******* ******* *** *********, ***** included ********** ********. ***** *****: ** they ***** *** *** ****** ** transactions ** *****, **** **** ***** better ******** *** ***** ** *** problem.
The ***** ** *** *******
*** ******* ****** ******** *** *********** a ******* ** ******* ******** ********, but **** **** **** ***** ****** to *********, ** ****. *** ***** of ****** ******* **** ***** *** clear ***** ** **** ***** *** the ****** ****** **** ******* *** high ******* ***** **** ** ***** out ***** ******* *** **** *** the “**** ********” ****** ** *** on ****, **** ********* *********.
** **** *********, ****** ****** ***** to *** ***** ******* ** *** information ** ***** ****** ** *** video ** ***** * ******* **** confessing.
Cameras ****
*** ********* **** *** ****** "****-*****" cameras, ****** *********** ******* *** ****** body **** *******. *** **** *** around *** ****-***** ******* [**** ** longer *********] ****** *******. *** ****** ***** ******* were ****** *** ******* **** **** hidden ** **** ********** ***** *** mounted ** ********* ***** *** *** police ** *** ******** *******. **** were ***** *** ** ********* *** capability ** **** ** ** * suspects ***** **** ****** *** ******.
********* ********* *** *** *** **** brand ** ******* **** **** ***** for *** ** *** **********, *** an ******** ** *** **** *** said ** *** ********* ******* ** the ****** ******* *** *** **** said **** **** **** ******* (********* ** **** **** ****** ******* story) **** ****** ****** ***** ** *******.
*** ******* ****** ***** ** ********* operations ********** *** ***** ***** ** videos ***** *** ******* ** ********* Border ******. ** ****, **** ***** ** so **** **** ******* ****** "**** of" ****** **** *** ******* **** investigations:
