by Serwan Zangana
The majority of the Roanoke City Council members, including Mayor Joe Cobb, apparently do not listen to their voters. Regardless of people’s opposition, 5 of 7 members of the City Council voted to install cameras that are called gunshot detectors. However, after installing 41 cameras, it was realized that 30 cameras were placed in wrong locations.
As the intention of installing these cameras is to detect gunshots, obviously they violate the privacy of good citizens of Roanoke as they expressed their concern. Seemingly, the majority of City council members and the Mayor are not walking on the same path and the same direction with the people of Roanoke.
This was not the first time that people opposed but the Council still voted as in the past, laws were passed and implemented regardless of opposition. Terry McGuire and Nick Hagen were the only two Council members who voted against the installation of the cameras in the City.
Also, the legislators from Roanoke on both sides of the Democrats and the Republicans opposed installing cameras in the City. Delegate Sam Rasoul (D) who represents the 38th District said, “We’re all concerned with the safety in our communities. The balance is trying to make sure that our constitutional rights, in this case, the Fourth Amendment, to not have illegal searches and seizures are being violated.”
Delegate Joe McNamara (R) who represents the 40th district and Senator David Suetterlein (R) representing Virginia’s 4th District also opposed installing the cameras. “We asked them two weeks ago to reconsider because of the significant concerns we had, and we’re hearing from so many members of the public.” Sen. Suetterlein said.
However, regardless of the logical reasons of people and the legislators and their opposition to the cameras, and with placing the cameras in wrong locations, the members of the Council did not change their votes in approving such installation. And now, as the cameras have to be removed and placed in the right locations, the privacy of people will be violated while the crimes and gunshots in Roanoke are less likely to decrease.
However, as the November election is approaching and there is a chance to vote for new Council members, the Roanoke voters should remember the unilateral decisions of the Council members, including the Mayor, without regard to people’s concern. The Roanoke City Council generally has mismanaged the budget, which affected the City’s schools, and now, the same Council is spending money to install cameras across the City to perhaps detect gunshots.
Unfortunately, the City’s policy has been very ineffective, and therefore, the Roanoke City citizens should put the party and politics aside and give a chance to new members regardless of their party’s affiliation.
