Police defend camera systems

Taipei police said yesterday they are happy with the benefits of community video surveillance, despite claims from Minister of the Interior Yu Cheng-hsien (余政憲) on Friday that the cameras are a violation of human rights and an invasion of privacy.

Lu Pi-tsung (呂碧宗), director of the city police's peace preservation department, said that "according to our statistics, crime rates in communities with security video surveillance are lower than communities without it."

"In addition, many borough wardens put stickers under the cameras in their communities which read: `This neighborhood is monitored by a security video system 24 hours a day.' These labels help keep criminals away, too," Lu said.

At a meeting at the National Police Administration (NPA) on Friday, Yu demanded that NPA officials consider a law to regulate the use of community security video surveillance to help maintain public order but not impinge on the public's human rights.

"I understand it helps the police to investigate crimes," Yu said. "However, it is important to avoid any difficulties that could arise."

Echoing Yu's call, Ministry of Justice's Senior Consultant Hsieh Jung-sheng (謝榮盛) said yesterday he too was worried about the possible impact of the surveillance cameras and would not encourage communities to install video systems while concerns still remain.

"Video footage can be used in a good way," he said. "However, people also have the right to refuse to be watched, don't they?"

"In addition, there are no rules to regulate the management of the video tapes. If the tapes got into the wrong hands, then the criminals would know just about every move in the neighborhood. Who will take that responsibility?" Hsieh said.

Defending the surveillance cameras, Shihlin Precinct Director Keng Chi-wen (耿繼文) said that police have greatly benefited from the system over the past year.

Using the murder of former KMT Taipei City councilor Chen Chin-chi's (陳進棋) as an example, Keng said that police were able to locate the two suspects quickly thanks to camera footage of them fleeing the scene of the crime.

"Although both of them were wearing helmets, the video still gave us lots of information, such as their escape route," Keng said.