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 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS1. What is Operation Westside Success? Simply put, we are a 501c3 charitable fund that has been organized to raise private funds and public awareness about the important role we all can play in making West Houston an even better and safer place to live. 2. What exactly are we doing? Simply put, we are here to announce that we are going to put as many security cameras in our community as our grassroots fundraising will allow, and our consultations with the Houston Police Department and the City of Houston tell us is advisable. We are also asking citizens and business owners to publicly show their support this effort by purchasing one of our Westside Success signs and displaying them at their home or place of business. 3. Who decides where these cameras go? According to the city code, it is ultimately up to the city and HPD to decide where cameras are placed and what they can see, but Operation Westside Success will soon be announcing an advisory committee made of business and civic leaders to help decide where requests will be made to place these cameras. In other words, we want real citizens – the people who live and work in our area – helping to decide where the cameras go. 4. Will these cameras invade privacy? Section 34-207 of the Houston City Code states that the security cameras are to be “installed at the direction of the department and ... operated in a manner such that the only locations subject to monitoring are those for which prior approval has been given by the property owner, are accessible to the general public (e.g., parking lots) such that there is no reasonable expectation of privacy, and are areas identified by the department as prone to criminal activity ... The control and operation of the camera, the choice of the field of view, the control of the live feed, the transmission of the live feed, and the monitoring and recording of the live feed shall be exclusive to the department.” 5. What other cities use these kinds of security cameras? In recent years, municipalities as varied as Queens in New York City; Buffalo; Milwaukee; Moon Township in Pennsylvania; Chicago; Columbus, Ohio; and Lubbock have deployed security cameras into their communities — and experienced positive results. Closer to home, the Harris County Toll Road Authority uses cameras to enforce its toll programs. |
Operation Westside Success is a 501(c)3 grassroots organization committed to working with all Westside residents, stakeholders and organizations to improve the public safety environment in our community.
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