Sunday, March 25, 2012

Eye in the sky in Astoria parking lot

From the Daily News:

Following a brutal mugging and a bureaucratic tussle, there’s an extra set of eyes at a troublesome Queens parking lot.

After failing to convince the city Department of Transportation to reactivate a broken surveillance camera that was idle during the robbery of a beloved deli owner, City Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. had his own installed — with a humorous twist.

Vallone, chair of the public safety committee, recently had the NYPD install the video hookup on the side of his district office, overlooking the municipal lot.

“I’ve been a proponent of more cameras in public spaces because we have less cops,” Vallone (D-Astoria) told the Daily News. “Both the criminals and the hard-working residents who use this lot should know it’s under surveilance.”

The camera was provided by the NYPD’s Technical Assistance Response Unit, he said.

While the camera itself is relatively inconspicuous, Vallone had a large white sign installed next to the camera that reads “Smile You’re on Council Camera,” a reference to the TV show “Candid Camera.”

9 comments:

ex.gov.a.schwarzenegger said...

Ach! Dat vas anudder gut von. Wunderbar, chust wunderbar. Hahr, Hahr.

Kurtlove666 said...

It is unfortunate that Vallone values muggings and violence over the safety of innocent children, and the constituents of his district. Not only did he wait until AFTER a serious mugging in a secluded parking lot right behind his office(a parking lot that has been there since way before Vallone moved into that office, formerly inhabited by his father, P. Vallone Sr.) but he has also professed his love for voyeurism and has the audacity to announce it on a billboard!! And he encourages people to smile while he watches them get assaulted!! How long has he been staring out of his office window, observing criminal acts under the guise of "watching over my community", while deriving some kind of sick pleasure from these acts?!? Using taxpayer dollars to support his sick fetish is going too far, and I am calling for his resignation and arrest so we can get this monster off of the streets and protect our children.

See how easy it is to use words to change stuff around? Maybe I should run for office...

But all kidding aside...I sincerely hope that he takes as much responsibility for the NEXT mugging or assault as he did for installing that camera. Vallone might be the most self-aggrandizing, chest-pumping, "ME ME ME" politico in Queens, and I hope his sign does deter criminality and protect people, but if it doesn't, I hope he can man up and install a sign that reads "Hey, I tried, but I really can't keep you safe."

georgetheatheist said...

I propose the renaming of "Astoria" to "Vallonia".

Anonymous said...

You can't replace 6000 cops with a few cameras.................

Anonymous said...

The camera & the sign - it doesn't hurt - it helps actually.

Anonymous said...

propose the renaming of "Astoria" to "Vallonia".

Its already called the 'Vallone Zone.'

Isn't that enough?

Anonymous said...

You can't replace 6000 cops with a few cameras.................

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At least a camera won't beat you for no reason then plant evidence or shoot you in the back.

Anonymous said...

Wasn't there some muggings in a parking lot in Astoria and the cameras captured nothing because they are not working?

The issue is not the competence of the local pols - the issue is the community's mindless support of them.

Anonymous said...

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-01-12/news/30621192_1_surveillance-camera-dot-parking-lot