The day before Veterans Day, the observation system towering above the corner of Second Avenue and Broadalbin Street had been in place a few days.
You might have been wondering whether the observation trailer that kept watch over the Albany parade on Veterans Day was going to be a permanent feature keeping an eye on downtown.
And you may be relieved to learn that no, it’s not intended to be there much longer.
The device was set up a few days before Nov. 11. During these dark November afternoons and evenings, the red and blue flashers at the top could be seen from blocks away.
I did a couple of stories about a previous deployment of this observation post last summer. The second one on Sept. 1 had an explanation from Chuck Perino, the city’s emergency manager, of how and why Albany got the device. If you missed the story, you can read it here.
Yesterday, four days after the parade, when the blue and red lights were still flashing in the night sky, I asked Perino why the observation post was still there.
It’s the police department that takes care of deploying the tower, he reminded me. Word from the department was that the tower would be in place only till the weekend, and the flashing lights would be shut off.
Which they were when I went past there tonight, on Thursday.
So no, long-term police surveillance in real time of downtown streets is not taking place. (hh)
Except for Veteran’s Day Parade and a few other events each year downtown, there are no crowds of people to survey downtown, as not many people or cars are there. Just sayin’.
so what is your point? the cam is mounted on a trailer so fyi it can be moved to where its needed when its needed
and i don’t worry about the “government survey” as i am doing nothing that would break any laws.
now some wing nuts on both ends do need to be surveyed and i feel safer when they are being surveyed