New Orleans Crime Cameras Net Few Convictions

NEW ORLEANS --

Charmaine Baker-Fox is a community activist in the Central City neighborhood. Walking the streets, talking with neighbors, she knows there are eyes in the sky on almost every block, but has little faith they're open.

"Crime cameras, I don't believe they work," Fox said. "Because if the crime cameras worked throughout the city, it would help to stop some of the crimes from taking place."

During September, within one mile of Fox's home near two crime cameras on Josephine Street, there were 10 assaults. Some of those assaults were shootings, and one was an attempted murder.

"I think the crime cameras are a waste of money," said Fox.

But New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin does not. Shelling out more than $5 million since the crime camera idea was hatched in 2004, Nagin defended the city's cameras during his State of the City speech last May.

Even Police Superintendent Warren Riley said the cameras were working.

But have they led to convictions or guilty pleas by those arrested?

"We are not using them to solve crimes," said New Orleans City Councilwoman Stacy Head. The WDSU I-Team obtained recent statistics from the district attorney's office about how many times prosecutors have used crime cameras.

On average, since Hurricane Katrina hit the area, police have made roughly 12,000 felony arrests per year. The district attorney's office accepts anywhere between 7,000 to 8,000 of those cases on average.

In a written statement, the district attorney's office told WDSU prosecutors have "utilized" crime camera video in three cases during the last year.

"If all we have is three prosecutions stemming from it, the only way you could explain it is disappointment," said Rafael Goyeneche. Goyeneche heads up the Metropolitan Crime Commission.

"I think the public has an inflated expectation level of what those cameras actually mean," said Goyeneche.

In the last 12 months, the city has spent or been billed for just under $2 millions of work on crime cameras. During that time frame, prosecutors used crime camera video in three cases. Only one of those cases resulted in someone going to jail. Cost for that conviction: $1.8 million.

"That leads me to back to, is it a good expenditure?" asked Head. By comparison, published reports show in a two-year time period in Chicago, Ill., police officers turned over 1,400 clips of crime camera video to prosecutors.

"We have to make a decision -- are we spending money to deter crimes or solve crimes?" said Head.

Police officers in New Orleans say the crime cameras deter crime. Department Spokesperson Bob Young said the crime cameras are a very useful tool for law enforcement. Although video is not always used by the district attorney's office for prosecution, the cameras are a great deterrent to crime. The video is also used by investigators to identify persons involved in certain activities.

"There are so many crimes that have taken place near crime cameras that weren't working, that shoots the deterrent argument away," said Head.

Assistant Orleans Parish District Attorney Ralph Brandt said, "We'll use crime camera video whenever we get it."

"I think maybe bring the police chief and district attorney to a hearing with the City Council and make sure they are doing everything in their capacity as police chief and DA to utilize the crime cameras," said Goyeneche.

It's a good suggestion, according to Fox, who hopes the answers to fighting violent crime can come from above.

"Something is wrong with this picture," Fox said. "These cameras need to be fixed or we shouldn't be paying for them as they are a waste of taxpayer money."