Calling for the Committee on Public Safety to hold hearings on improvements to the Philadelphia Police Department video surveillance systems and programs and other crime prevention tools such as the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system.

WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia has installed hundreds of video surveillance cameras throughout the City to help protect the quality of life in its neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, Video surveillance serves as a crucial tool to both deter neighborhood crime and to assist police in investigations when incidents do occur; and

WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Police Department leading is the way throughout the nation with its video surveillance programs; and

WHEREAS, The department’s

citizen video surveillance program

, Safecam, has grown to roughly 900 private cameras; and

WHEREAS, The ShotSpotter detection system used to pinpoint the location of gunfire and send the information to law enforcement is utilized in major cities such as New York, Washington, Boston, Oakland, San Francisco and Minneapolis, as well as smaller cities like East Chicago, Ind.; and

WHEREAS, In April 2015, Council members attended a demonstration from the Camden County Police Department about its use of ShotSpotter; and

WHEREAS, Law enforcement officials say the gunshot detection system will help them go after criminals because officers can respond more quickly to shootings thus, making neighborhoods safer; and

WHEREAS, The combination of an effective video surveillance program and detection systems such as ShotSpotter will create better policing and safer neighborhoods; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, THAT THE PHILADELPHIA CITY COUNCIL, Hereby calls on the Committee on Public Safety to hold hearings on improvements to the Philadelphia Police Department video surveillance systems and programs and other crime prevention tools such as the ShotSpotter gunfire detection system.

End