Mayor C. Ray Nagin’s office responded to an article written in the Times Picayune dealing with competing vendors and crime.  The Times Picayune’s article has alluded to potential favoritism in favor of one vendor and against the original vendor who had the initial Camera contract.  The purpose of the cameras is to catch crimes or evidence of crime being committed.  The newspaper has suggested that if the cameras were operational, incidents of crime would have recorded the scene.

Specially, the Office of the Mayor has responded to the controversy by asking itself and answering its own questions. Here is the response by Mayor Nagin’s Office:

FACTS ABOUT CRIME CAMERAS AND THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS

1. What is the purpose of the cameras? Crime cameras are useful in fighting illegal activity. They record activities in the areas they cover and thus create an instant record of what is happening. These cameras help to identify who is involved with specific crimes and provide a deterrent to those who know the cameras are installed.

2. How did the City choose who would install the cameras? The initial contract to install the cameras, which Mayor C. Ray Nagin signed in July 2004, followed a competitive bid process. Under this contract, the City specified a maximum number of cameras that would be installed by the vendor.

At the end of that year, the contractor had installed only 25 cameras, despite significant encouragement from and expense on the part of the City. In order to install cameras more quickly, the City also employed contractors who had been chosen through a state bid process. The state vendor also was less costly than the contractor the City hired through its bid process.

All parishes in the state may use contractors hired through Louisiana State Purchasing. Reasons for using state contractors:

*          No competitive pricing is required.

*          Purchase orders may be placed immediately for faster delivery.

*          Because of the volume associated with state purchases, prices are very competitive.

The City is taking a further step to include more participants and manage costs by working with the Technology Council (which ensures transparency) and putting out a public bid for cameras in clusters of eight (which assures cost management) for the remaining implementation of cameras to reach Mayor C. Ray Nagin's goal of 200 by year end.

3. Is there a record of success using the cameras? Yes, the cameras have proven helpful. The video evidence captured on the cameras is being used in several cases being prosecuted by the federal government.

4. What impact did Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent flooding have on the city's crime camera program? Mayor Nagin pledged at the beginning of the City's crime camera program that the City would install 1,000 crime cameras. Since Hurricane Katrina, the city's financial resources have been extremely limited. The City initially experienced a loss of half of its operating budget, making it difficult to meet basic expenses. In addition, the City found itself challenged to respond to approximately $1 billion in damages to City infrastructure.

5. How many cameras are installed now? 31 cameras are currently installed, including four along the Mardi Gras parade routes. In addition, 14 locations in the 2nd City Council District and 25 crime hot spots are being targeted for installation.

7. Is the number of cameras expected to increase? Yes, the City continues to deploy crime cameras. By the end of this year, 200 cameras are expected to be in operation.