The concerns expressed to the police were not about the trees being in the way, but that the location of the camera was useless. My boyfriend and I talk to the police who sit on the corner of Johnson and R in their crusiers on a regular basis (as regularly as they are around…which is always inconsistent unless there has been a shooting or street fight within the last week.) We have made comments expressing the uselessness of the camera due to its location, not due to the trees around it. Unfortunately, there is no IQ or listening test to become a police man.

We have lived there for 7 years and I remember when the camera was installed. For the first summer, there was a marked decrease in muggings and general mischeif on the block. By the next summer, troublemakers had learned how to avoid the camera’s veiw even though the city trimmed the nearby trees. The next summer, the trees no longer got trimmed.

Since the camera’s installation, crime has switched from on R st, to on the alleyways connecting to R st, most especially Johnson St. We average 2 shootings a summer, several muggings and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched a drug bust go down in my driveway behind the house. Its surreal to watch the police spread out baggies of crack on the hood of your car like an episode of COPS. Several times I have had to wait an hour or more to even get to my house because of the police lines.

After the most recent shooting, which actually occurred on Johnson out of view of the camera (regardless of trees), my boyfriend requested that they considered moving the camera to the intersection so it could observe both R st and Johnson. He made a side comment that its useless where it was because the trees blocking the view. Unfortunately they only heard the second part.

Now we are left with fewer trees and the camera still can’t see where the crime happens.