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I think we all know that governments can make some pretty dumb purchases.  That's why when I saw the latest report about the Caddo Parish Commissioners who wanted to spend $100K on doorbells for Shreveport citizens, I thought it was just the latest in a long line of dumb moves made by city officials.  Now that I have looked into the subject further, I have concluded that it actually makes a lot of sense.

Neighborhood Listening Project Health Care Door Knocking Canvass
Photo by Bryan Steffy/Getty Images for MoveOn.org Civic Action
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According to a report from the Shreveport Times, commissioners Lyndon B. Johnson and Stormy Gage-Watts sponsored the bill after getting the idea from a program in Chicago.  The plan is fairly simple: The city would purchase $100,000 worth of Ring doorbells and give them (plus one-year's service) to Shreveport citizens who live in a gun violence "hot spot."

Doorbell-Camera Company Nest
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
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All the recipients of the free doorbell-camera systems would have to do is register and connect the system to the Shreveport Crime Center, giving law enforcement officials access to the footage.  If approved, the whole thing would run for one year as a "pilot program."  If the data was encouraging and the project was deemed a success, officials may choose to continue or expand the program at that time.

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The proposal will be up for a vote on Thursday.  If approved, it would have to be voted on again at the meeting on February 3rd before it could be enacted.

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