A Morristown pilot program using SafetyStick cameras recently led to the arrest of an alleged camera vandal, according to the Electronic Privacy Information Center. EPIC highlighted the incident in a post that acknowledges the cameras did what they were designed to do, but the group’s focus is on how the pilot was rolled out.
EPIC senior counsel Jeramie D. Scott said that before any surveillance technology is introduced to a community, even on a trial basis, that community should be informed and given an opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns prior to deployment. The group’s statement does not dispute the arrest; rather, it questions the process leading up to the cameras being installed.
The underlying tension is between operational effectiveness and democratic consent. A successful pilot may demonstrate that the technology works, but EPIC argues that success cannot replace prior consultation. The group’s position is clear: notice and an open forum for public input are prerequisites, not optional extras, for any surveillance pilot in a community. The source does not include a response from Morristown officials, so the town’s view of the consultation process is not addressed here.