Citizens to help fight crime

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said that the city plans to install new technology so that 911 call centers can receive digital images and videos sent from cell phones and computers. "If you see a crime in progress or a dangerous building condition you'll be able to transmit images to 911 or online to NYC.gov," he said. The technology will also eventually be extended to 311, a hotline established during the mayor's first term in office to deal with nonemergency, quality-of-life concerns. Bloomberg said the new video and picture capability would hold "city agencies accountable for correcting (issues) quickly and efficiently." A representative from the mayor's office said Thursday that the program is in the initial stages of planning. No budget has been established for the project, and no vendor has been selected to provide the technology that would be used.

Source: news.com.comAdded: 14 February 2007