CHENEY — A Cheney resident voiced concerns about the potential purchase of street cameras for the city at a regular meeting of the City Council on June 27.
During the citizen comments section of the council meeting Corinna Donnerberg said that she is concerned about the potential installation and use of license plate reading cameras.
“I am concerned about the constitutionality of these cameras and about the potential for misuse and harm to the community members,” Donnerberg said.
According to Donnerberg, there is a lack of public trust in the city police department and that use of this technology will not help to rebuild that trust.
“I would also like to know what data, if any, the police department is using to measure the potential effectiveness of such technology,” Donnerberg said.
Donnerberg said she found statistics showing domestic violence related issues are the most common incidents that the police department responds to each year.
“It concerns me that Chief Beghtol is prioritizing surveillance of citizens over addressing the safety and well being of the people of Cheney,” Donnerberg said.
Cheney Police Chief Rick Beghtol said he has only brought the topic up for discussion, but not quite for a realistic look at installation yet.
“First of all, I am not actively pursuing the installation of the Flock camera system at any practical level,” Chief Rick Beghtol said. “I have commented about the potential costs and usefulness of a system such as that used in Airway Heights, but the process of procuring, installing, and paying for these cameras is complicated, and, for now, out of reach.”
Reflecting on comments given by Donnerberg at the Council meeting on June 27, Beghtol said “It is true that, during the time Donnerberg cited, domestic violence calls were more prevalent,” Beghtol said. “However, in my professional opinion, the Flock camera technology would help the police department in the course of any type of investigation, including domestic violence situations.”
“Second of all, we already have a system of motion-activated cameras in the city.” Beghtol added.
The chief then explained where these cameras are placed in Cheney.
“We monitor First Street, high-traffic areas, and the parks. They are minimally invasive, and it isn’t as though someone is watching the cameras 24 hours a day, Beghtol said. “But once something does happen, we go to that resource, if warranted, and try to use it to the resolution of the investigation, like we would use any other tool.”
Beghtol clarified that technology like the license plate reading cameras are not used for general public surveillance, only as a reactionary investigative tool.
Lucas is a former Cheney Free Press managing editor. He is a nationally published author who contributes regularly to several publications across the country.
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