Yesterday, the ACLU of Illinois released a new report detailing the threats to privacy Chicagoans face under the watchful eyes of that city’s growing surveillance camera system. The report is the first large-scale, independent study of the city’s integrated surveillance system — a system former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff deemed the most “extensive and integrated” in the nation.
Perhaps most stunning in this age of continuing economic hardship are the report’s details about the staggering cost of purchasing, installing, maintaining and manning the Windy City’s Big Brother. While the ranks of Chicago police officers drop due to lack of funding, more than $60 million has been spent on the city’s surveillance camera network.
And to what end?