Cameras Being Installed Across North Country

CANTON - In an effort to protect the northern border, federal authorities are installing cameras on utility poles to read license plates. St. Lawrence County Sheriff Kevin M. Wells said the cameras are the same as those put up in major cities across the state.

Citing a recent news release from Franklin County District Attorney Derek P. Champagne, Sheriff Wells said the cameras were put up on public roadways and will help prevent a variety of crimes. “This is something that’s common,” Sheriff Wells said.

Attempts to independently confirm the news release were not successful, and Mr. Champagne did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Andrew J. McMahon, superintendent of the Massena Electric Department, said he had a camera removed two weeks ago from a pole in the village after its wiring appeared to be causing a safety issue. “We took it down and turned it over to police,” he said.

Mr. McMahon said the camera did not have an owner’s name on its box.

He said his employees have to regularly clear objects from poles whether it’s basketball hoops or lightpoles.

Cameras may also be popping up throughout the village of Massena based on conversations Mr. McMahon said he is having with Police Chief Timmy J. Currier.

“He wants to put them around playgrounds and other areas,” Mr. McMahon said.

But some say these cameras are intrusive to the daily lives of residents.

“This raises serious privacy concerns,” said Udi Ofer, advocacy director for the New York American Civil Liberties Union. “The greatest American right is the right to be left alone.” Mr. Ofer said people have the right to live without fear the government is watching its residents.

“The government should not be building databases on its citizens,” he said.

Franklin County DA Has Camera Answers

CANTON — The traffic cameras that quietly appeared on north country roads this spring — raising questions among residents about which government agency placed them there and for what purpose — are “for border-related crimes,” the Franklin County District Attorney said Friday.

The purpose of the cameras, which read license plates, is to link downstate drug seizures back to Northern New York, District Attorney Derek P. Champagne said. Approximately a dozen were installed throughout St. Lawrence, Clinton and Franklin counties in March.

“This could eliminate more checkpoints in the future,” he said. “Local traffic is not the focus of this project.” Local law enforcement does have access to the information supplied by the cameras, however. Any law enforcement agency can log in into the system for investigative uses, not just border-related crime, Mr. Champagne said. He said that the cameras can be an effective crime-fighting tool and that he has used them to solve two burglaries. The cameras are used in New York, Rochester, Chicago and other big cities, he said.

One St. Lawrence County legislator said the cameras don’t bother him as long as they’re used to stop smuggling. “If the purpose is to stop drug trafficking, then they’re OK with me,” Gregory M. Paquin, D-Massena, said. He said he just wishes the authorities “would have been more forthcoming about their intentions.”

Who installed them remains unclear.

Mr. Champagne, who acted as a liaison to get the cameras, said funding originated from federal money related to homeland security. He said he did not have permission to release details.

Spokesmen for U.S. Rep. William L. Owens and Sen. Charles E. Schumer were unable to identify the source of the money. “We are continuing to look into the situation and have made inquiries with federal authorities,” said Matt House, spokesman for Mr. Schumer.

A spokeswoman for state Sen. Patricia A. Ritchie, R-Heuvelton, said her office has received complaints about the cameras and is investigating the matter with law enforcement.

Both articles written by Josh Gore, reprinted with permission from Watertown Daily Times.