Border Cameras for Citizens Ineffective, page 1

A news report out on a pilot program in Texas that allowed users to monitor webcams at border locations.

www.suntimes.com
EL PASO, Texas -- A test run of a Web site allowing users to monitor the Mexican border helped authorities catch 10 illegal immigrants of the more than 12,000 who officials said were apprehended in November, a newspaper reported Sunday.
The El Paso Times obtained state reports about the results of the November trial of Gov. Rick Perry's Texas Border Watch online camera program. The Web site also helped authorities make one drug bust and interrupt a smuggling route, the newspaper said.

During its test run Nov. 3 through Nov. 30, the site received nearly 28 million hits.

During the test, eight to 12 cameras along Texas' 1,200-mile border with Mexico operated in four counties, said Texas Homeland Security Director Steve McCraw.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

This website generated 28 million "hits" and over 200,000 registered users during the 30 day trial period. They also had over 5,000 emails sent regarding possible illegal activity. The net effect was it captured 20 illegals and the 30 day program cost $200,000.

The article says this was a pilot part of a program by Texas Governor Perry to place $5 million dollars worth of cameras along the Texas border.

The articles I could locate were not clear if the $200k figure included the cost to law enforcement to process and respond to the emails or just the tech costs of setting up 12 cameras and a website with that level of traffic.

If the rest of the program goes off at the same capture rate as this pilot then they might expect 500 arrests out of their $5 million program. But to put that into perspective the traditional method netted 12,000 arrests at the Texas border in the same period.

Personally I think it's a waste of money given the return on investment. But I'm not a Texas resident so it's not my money they're wasting.

Related News Links:
chron.com
abcnews.go.com