Video camera systems have long been in use by cities across America for very good reasons, like deterring and catching criminals. Properly placed and managed, video systems are a cost-effective way to improve public safety. Improperly placed and managed, they’re an expensive waste of money, as appears to be the case at Brown University, where credible reporting suggests the Brown Administration shut down cameras on campus for fear the imagery could be used to deport illegal aliens. 

That’s a credible assertion because Brown’s cameras were unable to identify the mass shooting suspect. It was only the efforts of a homeless man living in a Brown building that led to his identification and discovery after the killer committed suicide.  At a press conference, Providence officials abruptly shut down the event when a reporter pressed them on the issue:

Graphic: Social Media Post

Now Charlottesville, VA is apparently following Brown’s lead. After a year-long pilot program with license plate reading cameras, Charlottesville is shutting down the cameras for fear federal agents might be able to use the cameras to track and deport illegal aliens:

The City of Charlottesville will not move forward with the Flock Safety license plate reader system following the conclusion of a yearlong pilot program, despite reported success in helping police solve crimes.

City Council decided during its meeting on Monday, citing concerns largely outside the city’s control.

“I just think that the concerns are much bigger than us,” Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis said.

Over the 12-month pilot period, the Charlottesville Police Department gathered feedback from community members on the use of the Flock camera system.

Graphic: Social Media Post

“Most of the feedback we got was very positive from folks in the community. That being said, there were some concerns,” Kochis said.

Among the primary concerns were how data collected by Flock could potentially be accessed or used beyond the city’s control, including fears it could be obtained by federal agencies for unintended purposes, such as tracking undocumented immigrants.

“The big concerns continue to come up from mostly policymakers that, you know, are they the federal government or the administration in D.C. could get access to it,” Kochis said.

Chief Kochis admitted the system has helped solve at least one murder, has helped the police quickly recover stolen cars and has found at least one missing child and other missing people. But wait. This isn’t the only camera system the city is using.

The city has contracted with another company for an AI-driven camera system in its two parking garages. The system reportedly recognizes the vehicles of citizens who have paid for parking in those garages and automatically admits them and allows them to exit.

So, Charlottesville, which is coincidentally a university town, isn’t entirely against cameras. They’re just against laws they don’t like, such as federal immigration laws. Losing the ability to find missing people, including children, and the ability to quickly catch car thieves and solve murders is a small price for Charlottesville’s politicians to pay if it keeps illegal aliens, some of whom are presumably committing those car thefts and even murders, in Charlottesville.

Given the choice between proven public safety for American citizens and the remote possibility the federal government might be able to use license plate reading cameras to catch people violating federal law, Charlottesville’s politicians made the only right—left—choice.  

But what about the parking lot cameras?  Couldn’t they catch illegals too? Perhaps, but one suspects a cost/benefit analysis was done and the City concluded the money those garages generated was of more value to the city than the very slight possibility an illegal might be caught. 

Charlottesville’s sacred principles are apparently for sale.

So is the rule of law.

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Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor.