The purpose of this guidebook is to provide municipal and law enforcement officials with the information needed to make informed decisions on the implementation or expansion of a public surveillance system. Information was collected from officials at three large police departments (Baltimore, Chicago, and the District of Columbia) where public surveillance systems were implemented. The guidebook provides officials with answers to the following questions: why do cities choose to invest in public surveillance technology, what is gained from this investment, what factors go into the decisions regarding the purchase and deployment of equipment, how is the public involved in the decisions to invest in public surveillance systems, how cameras are used to support real-time arrests and how they are used for investigative purposes, do the cameras need to be actively monitored, where should the cameras be located, and what are the advantages and limitations for using video footage from these systems for prosecution and defense purposes. The guidebook notes that public surveillance systems should be used along with other policing strategies, such as CompStat and community-oriented problem-solving strategies, and that these systems are only as good as the personnel who manage them. References and a list of additional resources