The rage over the nearly 2,000 faulty surveillance cameras in the city's subway system has extended all the way to Albany. Governor Paterson expressed his anger at the wasted money and delayed installation of 910 cameras, saying, "For every camera that's not working, it's a grim invitation to crime in the subway." However, NYC Transit insists they will be successful this time around.
NYC Transit spokesman Paul Fleuranges told us that the blame should not be on TAP electrical, the camera installation company, but rather New Video Recorder company Steelbox, whose products weren't able to network multiple cameras at one location. They later went out of business, and NYCT was forced to replace the equipment with devices from Panasonic.
Fleuranges explained, "Despite the setbacks experienced in the installation of Passenger Identification cameras (PID) at these locations, we have committed to having them up and recording by June. Once fully installed, these PID installations...will join similar systems in place and recording at more than 70 stations system wide, providing digital images that have been used by law enforcement in hundreds of instances to both identify and track down perpetrators of crime in the system."
Though Fleuranges says they had committed about a month ago to having the cameras up by June, pols and straphangers are frustrated that it's still four years behind schedule. "It's ridiculous," said rider Sabrina Brown. "The cameras are the most important thing in terms of a bomb scare." However, rider Cecil Carter said he's not surprised about the delays. "There are a lot of things not working in the subway."
