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Schenectady resident offers city police a hand
Bellevue man says he’ll help watch monitors from surveillance cameras
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Photographer:
Peter Barber
James Weaver plays basketball with his daughter Janel Weaver, 14, in front of their home in Schenectady on Tuesday. Weaver has offered to watch monitors from surveillance cameras around the city.
SCHENECTADY — Those electronic eyes that record drug deals, beatings and other crimes throughout the city should have a living, breathing human being behind them calling for help, resident James Weaver said. The police don’t have the budget to pay someone to watch the city’s surveillance cameras, so Weaver has offered to do it for free. Not only is Weaver willing to peer into more than 18 monitors for hours at a time, but he thinks he can enlist others to volunteer as well. “It’s because I have a kid,” he said. “I want our community safe — not just for mine but everybody’s.” This is nothing new for Weaver, who says he already patrols his neighborhood in his spare time. The Bellevue resident whips out binoculars even when he’s resting on his porch, getting detailed descriptions of criminals. He’s called police for everything from petty thievery to heroin deals in his neighborhood. Now he wants to watch the whole city. He figures that if someone watches the cameras, police can be notified as soon as the crime begins, rather than just relying on the recording to catch the criminal later. “The cops can’t be at every crime. It’s impossible,” Weaver said. “We’d love to be trained to watch these cameras for free.” The city is expanding the camera network but still has no one to watch the feed regularly. A grant will pay for a few hours of surveillance this year, but nothing more than that, city officials said. BENNETT INTERESTED So Public Safety Commissioner Wayne Bennett said he would seriously consider Weaver’s proposal. “We need to take a serious look at any offer of assistance,” he said. But, he warned, volunteers must be able to pass a criminal background check. Just as important, they would need the ability to communicate clearly on the witness stand, Bennett said, because they would occasionally be called to testify on what they’d seen. “You don’t want a situation where they may not be able to articulate it, through no fault of their own. We’d need to evaluate them,” Bennett said. He would also have to make sure the police union doesn’t oppose the idea. Although police rarely watch the cameras now, the union generally objects if any work is passed to nonunion members. Mayor Brian U. Stratton said he would discuss the idea with Bennett before making a decision. Although no promises have been made, Weaver was heartened by the positive response. “I’m looking forward to it,” he said. If watched, the cameras would, in effect, more than double the number of law enforcement eyes on the street. Weaver thinks it would make a big difference. “Because nobody’s watching them. The only time they look at them is when a crime’s occurred. That’s no good,” he said. “I have the spare time and I care.” Weaver has been trying to fight criminals on a volunteer basis for years. He was part of Child Find until he got fed up with being called out at 11 p.m. for children who had not come home when school got out at 3 p.m. Then he patrolled with Bellevue’s neighborhood watch until bickering split the group. “Then I just started doing it on my own,” he said. He’s somewhat of a hero on his street, where neighbor Ed Drebitko called him “our one-man neighborhood watch.” “He’s is the kind of neighbor you want to have,” Drebitko added. A moment later, Weaver was trying to talk the single father into joining his camera-watching cause. Drebitko demurred at first, but confessed that he too works to improve the neighborhood. “Somebody’s got to do it because no one else will,” Drebitko said. Weaver grinned in triumph. “I’m sure I can get two hours out of him,” he said. “I know he’s a concerned parent also.”
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December 1, 2008
4:56 a.m. [ Suggest removal ]
What a great idea! We need more Mr. Weavers, as our PD is lack.
7:26 a.m. [ Suggest removal ]
The guy who is going to volunteer his time is great!
But why not make these cameras accessable from the internet? And have the option to submit a tip, just like the crime stoppers number. So instead of having a few eyes on alot of screen, you have thousands, perhaps millions of eyes on the screens.
Once you get the word out somebody would be looking at these things all the time. Although its a suggestion.
12:44 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
If you knew this person a hero is not the right word. He Harasses good people because they don't fit his idea of neighbors. Just because they look like white trash as been heard by him to say. And anyone who disagrees becomes a target for his harassment. Not a good person. Not a good neighbor. Bully may be the best word for this guy.
12:56 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
No we don't need more Jim Weavers. He is a loose cannon. Constantly causing problems on our block. No Hero, maybe in his own mind. Maybe the reporter should check with people who really know this person. More Jim Weavers!! God Help Us. Th PD is doing their best. The police work should be left to the professionals and not a vigilantly. He has drawn the drug dealers to our neighborhood by his actions. He is dangerous and in my opinion mentally challenged. Having him watching out for residents would be like asking Osama Bin Ladin to baby-sit your kids.
2:31 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
I dont think it would matter if James Weaver was to watch the cameras it is nice he wants to but that is not going to help the police department they already have eyes up there called the Neighborhood watch who call and report crime what is is is there are only 8 cars on the street and the department does not care about the hill ony areas where poeple own homes and crime is not a big deal like the Bellevue area the Union and Ellies area we need to stop wating giving the police department raises and hold them to there job do it right or get rid of them
3:28 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
The idea of internet watch is good but many civil rights may be violated with this type survalience and a civilian such as JW looking at everyone. With what has been posted so far, He doesn't appear to be a good choice based on others that live in his nieghborhood. The PD has it's faults and failings but all in all do a great job. A more professional and trained person needs to be there, Not JW. Anthony you need to look a little closer at the PD then just the end of your nose. SPD is spread thin not just here but in many communities. People need to stop bitching about our PD, get off their couches and help. JW is not a help by no means. From my experience, the SPD is much better than no PD at all as suggested. I am not a regular police patrolman but I do work inside the city as a volenteer in various org. an see what these men and women do each day. And have to put up with. Without that knowledge, comments against the police are pure ignorance. Be responcible and do the homework before making comments such as that. It just makes you and all of us look ignorant about our police and this city. As far as JW is concerned. I know who he is and don't think much of him. To put himself in the paper like this only tells me he is looking for "At A Boys" to make himself look good. The idea is solid though, I will give him that. But as previously stated, JW "OH MY GOD NO!". instead of complaining about our police ask what you can do to help. Join the organizations that are set up and trained to do this work. One other thing mentioned was the bikering in the Nieghborhood Watch group. The only bickering was JW wanting to take over with no training, knowledge or social skills to handle the job. The group wasn't broken he was asked to leave. Be careful what you believe in this article, many woppoers were written to make JW (quote-in his mind) a big man. I hope the Mayor, Commisionor Bennet and our acting Chief Falvo, don't put him in a position to watch any of you out there. From what I have seen and been told he won't be fair or observe issues correctly. This will put the city and the SPD in a bad position.
8:17 p.m. [ Suggest removal ]
Good points made in the above posts.
I think putting the high-crime area cameras on the Internet might help, but I too am concerned about civil rights violations.
Maybe a middle ground would be to use the camera footage only for arrests and as evidence in a limited manner, such as only for violent/serious crimes. This could be written into our areas criminal code statutes.