Chris Larsen, the co-founder of Ripple, has paid over $4 million to install 1,000 high-definition (HD) cameras on the streets of San Francisco, as he said that his goal is to combat crime, specifically theft.
It has been reported by The New York Times that Larsen, who recently recovered from COVID-19, has decided to take up this project after a group of unknown men climbed into his garden in 2011 and cut the wires to his home security while his children were sleeping inside.
However, he stated that he sees this as an alternative urban security system, as The New York Times notes that, while San Francisco doesn’t have a high rate of violent crimes, property-related crimes have been a “headache” for many residents.
The network established by Larsen covers around 135 blocks of San Francisco. He also paid for internet connections at some police stations by claiming that most stations don’t have decent internet service.
Chris Larsen paid $4 million for 1,000 surveillance cameras to be installed across several streets in San Francisco https://t.co/4wpg53yGCS — Cointelegraph (@Cointelegraph) July 10, 2020
A police department spokesman said:
“There is a process for the department to request footage from the party that manages the cameras. That party has the discretion of whether or not to release footage to S.F.P.D.”
Thus, the report stated:
“Neighbors band together and decide where to put the cameras. They are installed on private property at the discretion of the property owner, and in San Francisco many home and business owners want them. The footage is monitored by the neighborhood coalition. The cameras are always recording.”
Source: Cointelegraph | Image: Medium
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