News-Record.com

Friday''s No. 2 editorial.

Smile, GTA bus riders, you’re on Candid Camera.

Come next spring, nearly all Greensboro Transit Authority buses will be equipped with surveillance cameras that continuously send sound and video for monitoring. That’s an improvement over the current in-bus units that record only if there’s an accident.

Some riders may complain about their privacy being invaded. However, keeping tabs on a city bus is no more invasive than the common practice of using security cameras to monitor customers in retail establishments, restaurants, banks and even the corner convenience store.
In some urban areas, police already check images from light-pole-mounted cameras that scan neighborhoods. And a recent consultant’s study of the Greensboro police suggests that the city upgrade surveillance efforts.
Although such technology has been helpful in fighting street crimes, persistent legal questions arise whenever private property becomes involved. For now, such intrusive big-city-style scrutiny probably can wait.

Yet protecting the safety of bus riders in a clearly defined space is another matter altogether. The fact that Greensboro police responded to 162 incidents on city buses last year justifies taking a closer look.

While most bus crimes aren’t serious, there can be notable exceptions. Two years ago, Durham experienced a spate of bus-related violence. One shooting suspect was arrested after police scanned on-bus videos.

If nothing else, monitoring should contribute to riders’ peace of mind. Additionally, having documentation protects the GTA from bogus claims of passenger injury should there be an accident. A snapshot of daily ridership volume might help with scheduling and routing as well.
Despite concerns, the heightened security that in-bus cameras offer should trump some riders’ unease.