- Video surveillance of waste pickers in Ludwigshafen in the future
Mobile video surveillance is now being used by the city of Ludwigshafen to combat illegal dumping. The pilot project, coordinated with the state's data protection officer, began as planned on Thursday, the second-largest city in Rhineland-Palatinate announced. A camera has been installed in a car that parks at changing locations to document future violations. The project is limited to six months, with an interim report planned after three months. According to the city, this is a unique initiative nationwide.
The goal is to identify offenders and impose fines. "We want to prevent littering in advance, but also to have the possibility to hold the perpetrators accountable," said Mayor Jutta Steinruck (independent). It's frustrating for city employees and residents when careless dumping goes unpunished. "That needs to change."
State data protection officer Dieter Kugelmann emphasized that the project had been approved "after thorough examination and consultation, given the very special situation." The city is making great efforts to protect the rights of "innocent" people. For example, areas of the video image will be pixelated and blurred, and storage periods are clearly defined. The location of the vehicle will be publicly and visibly marked as under surveillance.
The camera-equipped car moves to different parking spots to record potential violations. After identifying offenders, fines will be imposed to deter future littering.
