Iowa City police eye more video surveillance

IOWA CITY - A day after showing the evidence that led them to disprove a University of Iowa student's account of an alleged hate crime, Iowa City police are voicing support for more street cameras in and around the downtown district.

Iowa City's pedestrian mall and adjacent areas have some street- and sidewalk-view cameras thanks to private businesses and the Iowa City Downtown District organization. But Iowa City police Capt. Troy Kelsay said investigators would like to see more that produce quality footage and more in general - especially some owned by the city - as video evidence is becoming increasingly paramount in criminal investigations.

'It would increase public safety on the front end and make it easier for officers to investigate crimes and discover the truth and hold those responsible for crimes accountable,” Kelsay said.

Detractors of public video cameras raise concerns around potential abuse and 'big brother” surveillance. But Iowa City police list several ways video footage is beneficial, including in the courtroom - where jurors nowadays expect that level of evidence - and in identifying suspects, unraveling conflicting witness accounts, and discounting false reports - like the one University of Iowa freshman Marcus Owens made to Iowa City police this month.

Owens, 19, told investigators - and then numerous Iowa City and Chicago news outlets - he was assaulted April 30 by three white men shouting racial slurs outside a downtown Iowa City nightclub. He reported suffering injuries to his eye, lip, and teeth, prompting widespread concern about race relations in the community and sparking criticism of the university's handling of the incident.

But, thanks in large part to the private nightclub's surveillance video and cameras mounted on blue-light emergency phones, Iowa City investigators quickly discounted Owens' report and found 'irrefutable evidence” of what did occur.

Owens chose to engage in or instigated three separate fights, two of which were captured on camera. He was not even at the bar when he alleged and never was jumped by three white males, Iowa City police reported.

'Quality video is a very very very useful tool,” Kelsay said. 'In this recent incident, the evidence captured was the compelling evidence in resolving it.”

It wasn't just helpful from a police standpoint. The video footage convinced Owens and his family to admit inaccuracies in their story and apologize to the community, it verified other witness accounts, and it helped ease community concerns.

'It was critical,” Kelsay said. 'We could have had all the witnesses come forward, but in the absence of video footage, it would have come down to, this is witness perception.”

‘Problems with public video surveillance'

Iowa City police Lt. Mike Brotherton pointed to the growing use of police-body cameras - including among Iowa City and UI officers - as evidence of the rising demand for video footage. And more communities - like Dubuque - are mounting cameras in public spaces to help both with traffic issues and criminal investigations.

'This is the direction our society is headed,” Brotherton said. 'Years ago, when a police offer said it happened, it was the gospel. Now video is everywhere. And it has to be validated by video. That's why we're all wearing body cameras now.”

One of the first questions Johnson County prosecutors ask these days is whether video evidence is available, Brotherton said. And the Iowa City Police Department has an employee solely dedicated to making copies of video evidence.

But Brotherton and Kelsay said they know some have concerns about a 'big brother” government, and the American Civil Liberties Union has come out with a list of 'problems with public video surveillance.”

That list includes potential abuse as a concern, asserting 'surveillance systems present law enforcement ‘bad apples' with a tempting opportunity for criminal misuse.” The ACLU also questions limits and controls on video surveillance and the effectiveness of such tools.

And, according to the organization, more public cameras 'will bring subtle but profound changes to the character of our public spaces.”

'When citizens are being watched by the authorities - or aware they might be watched at any time - they are more self-conscious and less freewheeling,” the organization asserts.

Brotherton and Kelsay said that might be a good thing for Iowa City, which for years has battled alcohol-fueled violence and other incidents in and around its pedestrian mall area.

'Downtown is an area where we have a lot of problems,” Brotherton said. 'If people know they are going to be captured on video, maybe they will think twice before they commit some sort of atrocities or illegal act.”

‘There is no expectation of privacy'

To the argument of right to privacy, Brotherton said most people already are carrying cameras with them via their phones.

'There is no expectation of privacy in a public place,” Brotherton said. 'People can take a picture if they want to. And having more cameras downtown where we are having a lot of issues and assaults would aid in holding people accountable.”

At the very least, Brotherton said, he wants to have the discussion.

'I would be interested to debate anyone who says this isn't a good idea for our community - to make it safer,” he said.

The officers acknowledge more research is needed into the cost of cameras, how long the city would keep and store footage, and how often they would be updated. But, Brotherton said, he thinks cameras could produce cost savings in some areas - like time and resources spent searching for suspects and witnesses.

'I think it's important for the community to really take a look at this and see how successful it's been in other parts of the country that have decided to move forward,” he said.

Take Dubuque, where the city for years has been adding to its traffic and non-traffic cameras. The city now has hundreds of cameras, and Dubuque police Chief Mark Dalsing said officers use footage from the cameras multiple times a week, if not daily.

'Accidents remain one of the most regular uses, but we frequently use them for crime investigation,” he said.

The cameras were paramount in several high-profile Dubuque investigations, he said, including in a September 2015 homicide. The city heard some concerns early on, but those have faded, Dalsing said.

'The public acceptance grew as we showed how beneficial the cameras were in resolving cases,” he said.

In addition to surveillance cameras in and outside private businesses in Iowa City, the downtown district manages six security cameras on the pedestrian mall, according to the district's Executive Director Nancy Bird.

'We have a very good relationship with ICPD and share the feeds to support their investigations,” Bird said. 'The cameras have helped solve many issues and have been a good deterrent to encourage those coming downtown to be civic-minded.”

Iowa City Mayor Jim Throgmorton noted those cameras and said he doesn't know if more are necessary. But, he said, it's a possibility.

'I think we would have to have some discussion about whether there is some compelling need to it,” he said, acknowledging potential concerns. 'The council and I would share concerns about big-brother watching. It's a big deal. You don't want to be constantly observed. Nobody does.”

But Councilman John Thomas said he's be up for having the conversation.

'Cameras might address the concern some members of the community may have about public safety in the downtown, as well as deter crime,” he said.