Staff Editorial: In support of campus-wide surveillance

Big Brother is watching, but this time he's on our side.

While it may be unbeknownst to many students, the University of Pennsylvania's security network features around 170 cameras throughout campus, with stunning zoom capacity. Security officials behind those cameras are always watching, looking for suspicious behavior to stop crime before it starts. Recently Penn received an award from an organization called Security on Campus, which brought attention to the issue.

The balance of freedom and security is an interesting one, in which a delicate equilibrium must be maintained. However, we feel that these measures are indeed extremely beneficial to the campus community, and firmly outweigh the feelings of trepidation some may experience at the idea of being watched.

The system of cameras, combined with emergency phones, is all part of a serious initiative to reduce crime on Penn's campus, and the University should be commended for spending the money where it counts. By all accounts, Penn is a much safer place to live and work now than it was ten years ago. This effort should go far to neutralize the biggest knock against Penn: the occasionally harsh aspects of our urban backdrop that is both a draw and a drawback.

However, we must still caution security officials to make sure that no abuses of this system occur. This is Franklin's University, and as he said: "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." So far, we do not feel that we are sacrificing liberty through this system, and we'd prefer that it remain that way.

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