Thousands Sign Up for Virtual Border Patrol

Thousands Sign Up for Virtual Border Patrol

thelede.blogs.nytimes.com

The Texas Border Sheriff’s Coalition (TBSC) has instituted the Texas Virtual Border Watch Program to enlist the public’s assistance in preventing crime along the Texas-Mexico border. This initiative provides real-time streaming video over a web-based network to enable the public to report suspicious activity to the appropriate law enforcement agency via e-mail. Day and night surveillance cameras have been strategically placed throughout the border region...

(visit the link for the full news article)

Virtual Border Control

Sounds interesting, I'm going to be looking into this. On the flip side though it seems scarey to me to have this kind of thing, but I mean we have to secure the border somehow right?

I think this could potentially be very effective, people love to stare at their computer screens and what not... Maybe they'll even offer cash rewards or something...

Anyone have any thoughts?

thelede.blogs.nytimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 27-3-2009 by XTexan]

[edit on 27-3-2009 by XTexan]

Somebody posted this about a month or so ago.

The program is ineffective.

In the first six months of the grant period, the coalition spent $625,000 to get the cameras running.

The Web site went public Nov. 19, and in the first month saw nearly 2 million hits.

All those hits didn't translate into much law enforcement work, though, according to a six-month progress report required for the grant.

The report describes both the objectives for the program during the first year of the grant and how much progress was made in achieving those goals.

The coalition's goal was to make 1,200 arrests as a result of tips from the online cameras in the first year of the project.

They made three arrests in the first six months, according to the progress report.

Of some 4,500 suspected immigration violations they expected to report to U.S. Border Patrol in the year, the first six months produced six.

The report also showed the group installed just 13 of 200 cameras it planned to install this year.

www.elpasotimes.com...

$625,000 to install 13 cameras.....With the 2 million dollars they were given, they may be able to install about 26 more cameras.

reply to post by jam321


No 13 cameras is not going to cut it, even if they get the additional 26 its still not going to be enough... They need to get the work done, for a bit cheaper than that...

This reminds me of all that time I wasted watching ghost cams but never saw one.

In theory it is a good idea, but the cost to maintain a system like this is bound to be expensive.

I think it would be more cost effective to

1)jail/fine employers to deter them from hiring illegals

2)Redo US visa system so that it is instantly known when somebody overstays their visa. About 50% of illegals come in this way.

I would be just a little wary of getting into the camera thing too heavily. Note what they are doing in the UK. Next thing you know those cameras will pointing at YOU and your neighbours (and total strangers) will be calling in to report you doing something they think is wrong.

Probably better not to go there at all and find a better solution - they are out there, but not as simple and gimicky.