Many would consider it sad the things we get geeked out over around PegNews World HQ. A few weeks ago it was the new, nearly realtime online crime reporting from the Dallas Police Department -- the one that has spawned several other web efforts to package that data. (Ours is still in the oven.)
Yesterday found me dancing a jig over a simple email from DPD media relations linking to a YouTube video of a 7-11 robbery.
The video description:
"Black Male, 30 years old, 5'7", 140 lb. and Latin Male, 25 years old, 5'7", 150 lb. wearing hooded grey sweat shirt robbed 711 store at 9820 Walnut St. For any information please contact Robbery Unit at 214-671-3584."
I was elated, not because another convenience store got hit, but because up to now the only way to get these sorts of videos was to go down to headquarters and pick up a tape. That pretty much ruled out a site like ours being able to get the video and push it to the people in the neighborhood where a crime took place.
I asked DPD media relations guy Vernon Hale if this was going to be standard operating procedure from here on out. Here's what he said:
"I am testing it for media response at this time. If you all like it we will do it when tech people are available. There is also a size limit. For instance we had to cut a min. off the front to make it fit so that was a lot of work."
So, if you have occasion to speak to anyone from DPD, let them know that we want these kinds of videos available to distribute freely. It's great if they get on the 6:00 news for ten seconds, but they're more likely to find their mark if they can live perpetually on the web and are pushed to those most likely to care or to have useful information.
We've long said that the minor burglary next door means a lot more to you than the triple-homicide on the other side of town. We're closer than ever to being able to deliver that day in and day out.
Comments
Scott Doyle Verified
Is there not an email address or anything online where we can voice our support, Mike? I'm on board, both b/c I think it's cool and it might be useful in my line of work.
11 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Mike Orren Staff
Scott (and others who care):
Post a comment of support here and I'll make sure Lt. Hale sees them. Don't want to bother them with a lot of extra emails.
11 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Chad Jones Staff
If this guy can use YouTube, then so should my police department. Three cheers for crime videos.
11 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Mike Bullock Staff
Not to stack on staff comments. But I personally think this is a great tool for everyone! Thanks to the DPD and their Tech guys for making this possible.
11 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Peter Stawicki Verified
My business is CCTV so I have a little insight. Judging by what City of Dallas has chosen for their own protection both for city monitoring and for mobile usage in the vehicles, the City of Dallas is really not up on its IT choices. Quite honestly most modern CCTV recording choices will allow you to offload data into formats suitable for editing and or distribution without more than just a few steps. Yes many of these recording devices may have pre and post recording that might need to be trimmed but all in all if the clip could be handed out to news channels or online news organizations such as Pegasus, you could do that on your own. Maybe its time for the force to hire a few fresh faced 16 year olds to set up shop in a corner office and use modern means of distribution to better get some of these visuals on the street and thereby increase the number of solved crimes.
ALL THAT SAID - many of the business owners in the city have yet to invest in upgraded video technology. In my experience the average business owner does not see the need until after an event has occured and lets face it, thats too late. Especially from the liability standpoint. Too late can mean injured or dead employees, hundred of thousands of dollars in damage (Those wonderful drive right in the front window smash and grabs) as well as the possibility of bodily injury to a customer.
As a business owner you should do everything you can to make sure that if such an event does occur, that you can identify the criminals responsible and help to get those persons off the street. This doesnt mean go down to your local Big Box Store and purchase the cheapest DVR they have on the shelf, instead this means making and intelligent buying decision from a qualified Dallas Security Professional (Persons in this industry should be licensed by the State Board of Private Investigators) and make a purchase that will benefit you in being able to see your day to day business (Unhappy employees steal at least as much as stick up men) as well as those major events that are more likely than not to happen.
(And now i'm stepping off that professional soap box)
10 months, 4 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Mike Orren Staff
Discussion of surveillance video reminds me of my favorite crime story this year:
http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2007/...
10 months, 4 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Scott Doyle Verified
While I agree that many private sector peeps should take monitoring more seriously than they have, I can see why many wouldn't bother. If DPD hasn't even allocated resources to utilize technology already available, there's not much incentive for business owners to upgrade. Seems DPD has to make the first move here, then encourage out-dated systems to be upgraded.
Also, if there really is so much to gain from private owners having ramped-up CCTV cams, methinks there should be some kind of public assistance with the cost. Most business owners worth their salt take security seriously enough that they'd take the time...but cost is different if it's substantial. I'm guessing a lot people aren't exactly fired up that cops can watch them at all times on CCTV...so there's that, too.
10 months, 4 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
Jeremy Dunck Staff
Regarding only seeing the value after the incident occurs-- yep, that's the nature of security in general. The ideal case is that nothing bad happens-- but then how do you know you're spending enough (but not too much) on countermeasures? People tend to calibrate their feeling based on how bad it sucked last time.
Regarding the idea that businesses need to take on the burden of higher tech-- it seems to me that no single business benefits from having a high-end surveillance systems. That is, why should I spend $1000 to get a criminal off the street after he hit my place? The next place is the one that stands to benefit by investing.
What I mean to say is that either there should be a certification and badging system-- like home alarm stickers and lojack-- or the cost of surveillance equipment should be socialized. If neither of those is in place, the crook will hit me whether or not I have the tools to catch him later-- and at that point, the clerk is dead. It can seem better to invest in a gun under the counter-- obviously a bad idea in the hands of a sleep-deprived 17 year-old clerk.
All that said, I definitely think that making the surveillance vids available after the fact is a great way to catch the perps and encourage the investment all around.
I wonder how often the presence and quality of surveillance equipment factors into arrest and conviction. Any way to track that? Any way to spread word-of-mouth of shopkeeps whose investment helped catch serious offenders?
10 months, 3 weeks ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )
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