L.A. Police Use Public CCTV to Catch Movie Pirates
LOS ANGELES
Police in Los Angeles have found a new use for video surveillance: Catching those who sell pirated copies of Hollywood movies. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) plans to install 10 cameras on buildings in downtown L.A.’s fashion district, which has been a gathering place for those selling the unlawful copies of current and recent films, as well as other counterfeit merchandise.
Reuters reports the Motion Picture Association of America has contributed $186,000 to help pay for the system, which was announced on May 31 by LAPD Chief William Bratton.
The LAPD has had recent success with using public video surveillance, including camera installations in Hollywood and at MacArthur Park. Bratton has credited the camera systems for producing sharp drops in crime and drug sales where they have been installed.
The fashion district cameras, all digital, will beam pictures to a nearby police precinct where they will be continuously monitored by an officer, who will have undercover police at their disposal to dispatch to the location. The LAPD says four of the cameras are already operating, while the other six will be installed in the coming weeks.
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