O brave new world

Excuse me if I don't go all starry-eyed over this prospect:

The police [in Vallejo, CA] went high-tech, investing $500,000 in cameras across the city that allow officers to monitor a larger area than they could before. The department deputized citizens to participate in law enforcement by sharing tips on Facebook and Twitter.

So the cops can sit in the precinct all comfy and cozy, watching television monitors filming the streets which it is their duty to patrol. How well has that worked in London? Meanwhile citizens can report their friends and neighbors to the authorities, just like in Hitler's Germany. No thanks.