WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia currently ranks high amongst major cities in a number of criminal activity statistics; and
WHEREAS, Certain areas in Philadelphia have gained reputations as hot-beds for criminal activity, including open air drug markets, public gun violence, burglary, robbery and assaults; and
WHEREAS, Such criminal activity significantly compromises the quality of life, safety and welfare of Philadelphians who live or work in these areas; and
WHEREAS, The use of video surveillance cameras has become one of the nation's most popular and economical ways to fight crime; and
WHEREAS, In Philadelphia, the use of video surveillance cameras contributed to the hasty resolution of crimes such as the abduction of Carlesha Freeland-Gaither and the commission of a hate-crime against two gay men in Center City just last year; and
WHEREAS, An expansion of public safety video surveillance cameras may have also hastened the discovery of Shane Montgomery, who remained a missing person for six weeks had video surveillance cameras been installed in the area of his last known whereabouts; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADEPLHIA, That the Committee on Public Safety is hereby authorized to conduct public hearings to explore new methods to increase surveillance cameras throughout the City that satisfy the guidelines of the Philadelphia Police Department Safety Cam Program, such as a tax abatement to offset the cost for camera installation and mandatory camera installation for nuisance businesses, among other initiatives, in order to increase efforts to reduce crime and promote public safety in the City of Philadelphia.
End