Whose Cameras Are Watching New York Roads? 376
NormalVisual writes "License-plate reading cameras are popping up on utility poles all over St. Lawrence County in upstate New York, but no one is willing to say who they belong to. One camera was found by a utility crew, removed from the pole, and given to the local police. 'Massena Police Chief Timmy Currier said he returned it to the owner, but wouldn't say how he knew who the owner was, nor would he say who he gave it to....(Andrew) McMahon, the superintendent at Massena Electric Department, said one of his crews found a box on one of their poles and took it down because "it was in the electric space," the top tier of wires on the pole above the telephone and cable TV wires, and whoever put it there had taken a chance with electrocution. He said they had never received a request or been informed about its placement.'"
open records request (Score:5, Informative)
File an official request demanding that they release any pertinent information related to the owner/operator of those cameras. There is no legal basis for them to deny you that information (operational security or an active investigation).
Re:Whatever happened to transparency? (Score:5, Informative)
Higher powered lasers... (Score:5, Informative)
...can burn out some CCDs, or at least temporarily "blind" them.
And now I'm expecting a visit from DHS for disseminating easily available info. It's been nice not knowing you.
Re:Get a bat (Score:4, Informative)
Real guns work even better than paintball guns... just sayin.
Re:Treaspassing (Score:2, Informative)
None of this is a problem. There is a paint available [schnaz.com] that makes it very hard to photograph your license plate and as far as I can tell, this is a great thing.
Re:Treaspassing (Score:5, Informative)
Massena is also home to a major hydroelectric power dam, three large aluminum plants (two of which are idle) and the Eisenhower lock on the St. Lawrence seaway (any international ships en route to the great lakes have to stop there), so it could be a place of interest for agencies/companies other than the DEA.
Akwesasne Reservation (Score:5, Informative)
They are watching for smuggling, both ways. Into and out of Canada.
The reservation is on both sides of the river.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akwesasne [wikipedia.org]
http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2009/07/more-from-the-frontier-largest-northern-new-york-drug-bust-ever.html [adirondackalmanack.com]
This is just what they catch, and they aren't looking too closely, or haven't in the past. Very quiet there. I'm very familiar with the area and it has always been a smugglers paradise, prohibition til now. A lot of old Victorian houses up there have secret hidden rooms. If you ask the homeowner why they are there, they usually claim for the underground railroad. BS, these houses were built after the civil war, and most in the 1920's. Huge fortunes were made moving booze.
Everyone there knows what's going on. My best estimate is that 50% of the imported drugs on the east cost come in to the country from there.
There was also a huge case in the late 90's where a 1-2 billion dollar a year cigarette smuggling ring (moving the cigs north, into canada) was broken up. Phillip Morris had several execs indited.
Big business.
My guess on the agency, in order of likelihood.
DEA
ATF
Border Patrol
FBI
DHS (using parts of the above)
Canada, with support from any of the above.