Maryland Residents Are Sick of Being Spied On And Are Tearing Down Police Cameras

Citizens in Maryland have decided to take matters into their own hands when it comes to the surveillance state that they are living in. I guess it has gotten to the point where they are willing to destroy police property in order to get their point across. I'm not condoning the destruction of police property but I won't say that I disagree with it either. No one likes living in a police state where your every movement is tracked/recorded.

This story is certain to bring a lot of different opinions from the diverse crowd of ATS members.

Police in Palmer Park, Md., plan to deploy cameras to surveil the other other cameras in their district.

Ari Ash of WTOP talked to police in the area, who said that local people had started targeting the speed cameras police put up in intersections, as well as surveillance cameras. The police said that since April, six people have been involved camera damaging activities.

Obviously the local residents are unhappy and are taking a stand, perhaps the local authorities should pay attention to the unhapiness caused by this type of surveillance.

One man literally pulled out a pistol and used the camera for target practice. Police found another speed camera flipped over—leading police to believe a gang of people committed the crime, considering the weight of the camera. Then there was the camera set up on a stand, near FedEx Field. A man walked up to it, cut off one of the legs, and walked away.

“I guess that makes a statement,” Prince George’s County Police Maj. Robert V. Liberati told WTOP. “But we were able to just attach another leg.”

He said he didn’t get too worried until the fire. Yes, one of the cameras incinerated.

I must admit that I am not completely in agreement with the methods used to destroy these cameras as firing a weapon or causing a fire can be very dangerous to the unsuspecting public so if these people have such an issue with these cameras they should pursue other options when dealing with them.

Liberati, who’s the commander of the Automated Enforcement Section, in other words “speed cameras,” says each camera can cost up to $30,000. They needed to do something to deter the camera saboteurs. Liberati thought cameras to watch the cameras was a good solution.

Liberati said that speed cameras, under Maryland state law, can only be used to track speeding violations, so the station ordered separate surveillance cameras.

One is in place already, and the department hopes to have a dozen more by the end of the year.

Link

So due to Maryland state law these cameras can only be used to track speeding violations so they had to mount additional surveillance cameras to monitor the speed cameras

I wonder how long until these cameras start getting destroyed too?

As I said I do not necessarily agree with the destruction of the cameras, but I also do not agree with the surveillance state that is being applied on a global scale for "our security". I wonder how much money these cameras pull in each year with the speeding tickets they produce. Could it be worth the constant replacement of these $30,000 cameras?

I have a feeling this kind of sentiment is going to spread like wildfire and we will be hearing about stories like this more often from now on.

If and when they stat installing the facial recognition cameras I might have to join the party.

Where do we draw the line?

I absolutely condone the destruction of the cameras aka chains being placed to enslave us. Soon, we will also need to go after those people who are "just following orders". They are complicit in our enslavement and will need to be dealt with. Just following orders IS NOT an acceptable excuse.

The funny part is that they were speed cameras.
Having a regular camera to watch you seems to be ok but when they are getting caught breaking the law....now they are mad??

Quit speeding...problem solved.
I am against cctv cameras I will admit.
I find it funny they are pissed because they are getting caught breaking the law.


They should be outraged at cctv cameras and destroy those instead.

reply to post by DrumsRfun

The speed cameras are not about public safety. In many instances, they have made some intersections more dangerous. This is all about revenue generation and surveillance of the populace. Tear them down.

In my opinion this level of surveillance and interconnectivity is inevitable.

Technological advancement not only for the purpose of crime prevention and surveillance will utilize these type of networks, but personal devices as well.

I foresee a future were social media and technological interaction will be common place everywhere we go and cameras, sensors and all kinds of other types of monitoring devices will be needed to supply us with our insatiable need for being “plugged in” as it were.

So may choose to disagree, or that I am going a bit off topic, but our relationship between technology, in this case surveillance equipment, and ourselves will grow ever more intertwined.

The future is a digital one and this kind of stuff is part of it.

My viewpoint is that this type of digital infrastructure will continue to develop and we cannot stop it, however what needs to develop is a niche industry to counter balance the increased exposure we will experience.

Anyways, this is not the stone age I am afraid to say. Groups, including the government, will exploit technological development and it is up to us to maintain the balance.

Edit: Before i get blasted from people Thinking I support government monitoring, I don’t. I am just under the impression that this kind of development will happen regardless of complaints as mentioned in the OP.

Eventually destroying the equipment wont be enough..

I dont condone the destruction of this property, as it is paid for with our tax dollars. Thus leading to the waste of more tax dollars to replace those cameras and add cameras to watch the cameras. Vicious cycle. At the same time, I give these people 2 thumbs up. The level of surveillance in the US has gotten out of hand. Before you know it, we will be like the UK with cameras watching every move we make.

reply to post by MDDoxs

Eventually destroying the equipment wont be enough..

Your right with your last sentence and wrong about the rest. It is only inevitable if we accept it. We need to get rid of the politicians and others who wish to own and control us. We need to make them realize that the police state is not acceptable and that we will not accept these Orwellian levels of surveillance. "Get out of our lives or else" needs to be the message we send them.

Originally posted by 369821
I dont condone the destruction of this property, as it is paid for with our tax dollars. Thus leading to the waste of more tax dollars to replace those cameras and add cameras to watch the cameras. Vicious cycle. At the same time, I give these people 2 thumbs up. The level of surveillance in the US has gotten out of hand. Before you know it, we will be like the UK with cameras watching every move we make.

The answer is to fire every politician and police officer that supports these cameras so that they are not replaced.

reply to post by DarthMuerte


Now, that would be taking away TPTB power to watch us and control us.

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed
id that local people had started targeting the speed cameras police put up in intersections, as well as surveillance cameras. The police said that since April, six people have been involved camera damaging activities.

I must admit that I am not completely in agreement with the methods used to destroy these cameras as firing a weapon or causing a fire can be very dangerous to the unsuspecting public so if these people have such an issue with these cameras they should pursue other options when dealing with them.

Other options like what? voting someone else in who will repeal the speed camera laws/ordinances?

Is that the source of it all though? Or maybe someone else lobbied for these to be put in place so its not all on the politicians back. (Conspiracy mode here)

S&F

reply to post by DarthMuerte
Agreed. Speed cameras are NOT intended for public safety. I live in Maryland and know the Palmer Park area fairly well so while I don't condone the behavior by the citizens, I am not surprised at their reaction.

If they were so concerned about speeders, then they should install speed bumps. Those are more effective at slowing folks down and are cheaper.

It's all about revenue generation.

So, you think all speed limits are fair? Theres a state law here in michigan saying only the state dot can change speed limit signs! Why? Because cities were changing the signs to create more evil speed traps.

How about northern indiana construction zones? They put some cones up for no reason to create a fake construction zone and therefore a 45mph speed limit just to write tickets. How about real construction zones where no workers are present? Infact, in michigan you can do an in between speed through them...or if theres a jersey wall between you and workers..... Why not northern indiana?

How about going down a hill in an 80000 pound truck getting busted doing 70 in a 65? I was paying attention to moron drivers, much more important than my speedometer.

Am i just supposed to watch the speedometer and ignore the idiots in front of me?

The "american trucking association" (aka 4 wheelers against 18 wheelers) wants all trucks governed at 65. A couple years ago they claimed 40% of all accidents happen above 65 mph. By their own statistics, they showed going over 65 is safer. Lets think about why for a minute here. Where are we exceeding 60 at? Wide open freeways generally, in good weather. Where are we doing less? Congested areas, places with lots of traffic, cities with stop lights, highways in bad weather.....

Going faster does not cause accidents. Dumb driving, dumb parking are the main causes of accidents.

Texas has a stretch of i10 thats set at 85. Utah has a section of i15 thats set at 85. These are places where there really arent police resources to even enforce that. Ive cranked my fully loaded 80000 pound semi up to 105 for 30 miles or so in the 85 zones in utah. Felt totally comfortable at that speed. Didnt really encounter...anything....at all..... Maybe two cars.

I94 in montana, doesnt have a big speed limit. But ive driven there in the middle of the night. Didnt see any headlights for hours at a time.

And how come everytime i see a speed trap, i see all sorts of people driving like morons, but its the speeders that matter?

speed doesnt kill. At all.

reply to post by Jaellma

Absolutely right. Speed bumps slow people down or damage the vehicles which will convince all but the biggest idiot to slow down in the future.

it would be neat if some clever hackers could disable entire cctv networks at will. that would be cool.

reply to post by DarthMuerte


Are you suggesting that we are opposed to technological development? because interconnectivity is an inherent aspect of this process. You can not just say we wont let progress happen, we are always growing and expanding our minds, technology is a crucial tool for this.

Until technology declares war on the human species we will continue to Utilize it.

Additionally, it sounds like you are implying that our level of technological development will regress as a result of a desire not be monitored. I think not. Further, technology not only assists those who wish to monitor, but those who don’t wish to be monitored.

I believe my opinion is supported by our current trend in technological expansion and further enhanced by human nature. Our desire to learn, to invent will out weigh this environment you are so opposed to.

Originally posted by DrumsRfun
The funny part is that they were speed cameras.
Having a regular camera to watch you seems to be ok but when they are getting caught breaking the law....now they are mad??

Quit speeding...problem solved.
I am against cctv cameras I will admit.
I find it funny they are pissed because they are getting caught breaking the law.

They should be outraged at cctv cameras and destroy those instead.

lol @ breaking the law....

is freaking speeding man...stop dramatizing it to make them seem like "criminals"...who the hell hasn't sped? Everyone on the road is a criminal at some point in their driving career...lets all just ticket everyone as soon as they get their license then...get that first speeding citation out of the way ya know...

If breathing were illegal we would all be criminals too...you have to be breathing to commit a crime anyway...so lets just beat criminals to the chase and kill them through suffocation by making breathing illegal...That way we can prevent crime by preventing criminals!!!!

Guess who survives in that world...criminals...

Crime prevention laws aren't real laws, there is no victim and if there is no victim justice cannot be done...

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


Good for the citizens, you know it was a time when we the people dictated what government could and no due, under the present corporate dictatorship we are told what we can do.

Well our Constitution is still very much alive, and all that corrupted power that our corrupted government has given to themselves is just one step away from citizens retaliation.

We the people actually rule by numbers.

Good for the citizens.

they are not police property, they are public property paid for by the citizens. if the citizens of that area who paid for these devices decide they want to tear them down so be it, it's their constitutional right to do so and i applaud them for it.

police and city council officials are our errand boys and girls, lest they not forget who they work for.

That surveillance camera didn't help Kelly Thomas now did it?

If there weren't so many bystanders filming the public recording would have dissappeared. Cameras like police do NOTHING to contribute to yoru safety, they are there only to tax you further.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


They were shot off their mounts in Texas back in the 60's. Kinda surprised it isn't happening now.
By the way, Texas tried to use cameras back in the 60's for surveillance purposes.