I appreciate Cathy Dauler's commitment to protect the safety of all borough residents including students, but I'm skeptical given Borough Council's poor track record ("Borough camera planning resumes," Feb. 4 article). Where was Borough Council in the early and mid-90s when I had to weave across Beaver Avenue to avoid the cups of beer, water and urine which would routinely be thrown from apartment balconies? And, when Beaver Avenue was strewn with pizza boxes and paper plates after Acme pizza moved to the inner-city, window-only model?

After years of ignoring the neighborhood, the so-called "riots" of 1998, 2000 and 2001 forced Council to deal with the Canyon ghetto. Working with the university and law enforcement, they correctly explained to the residents, guests and businesses that "No, not everything goes along the 200-300 blocks of Beaver Avenue." There would be serious consequences for violating the rights of others.

While Council contemplates a multi-screen movie complex between Garner and Hiester streets, which it hopes will draw a wide cross section of people downtown, it is again treating the bordering section of Beaver Avenue like a slum.

Instead of installing cameras as they do in Baltimore public housing, State College needs to adopt the community policing model and to continue to remind all residents that violating the golden rule is unacceptable. Officers need to be allowed the time to get out of their patrol cars, walk around the neighborhood, and engage the residents -- and not only on big-game and Arts Fest weekends.

Cameras will do little to prevent crime and to encourage families to come downtown for dinner and a movie, but they have enormous capability for abuse and poison the relationship between town and gown.