Police use surveillance photos to catch criminals everyday. But in some recent Topeka photos, the hood of a sweatshirt makes it very hard to identify them. Topeka Mayor Bill Bunten says, "Have a sign that says please remove your hat or lower your hoodie so the camera can see who's there."

He suggests a ban on hooded sweatshirts and ball caps in the Capital City. Topekan Shawn Minihan says, "Seems very socialist, very communist." Downtown business owner Connie Cook says, "I think we would lose a lot of customers over this. I know that in a downtown area, unlike a mall, when you have on your outdoor attire you're not going to leave it in the car." Downtown employee Sarah Laing says, "It's the style. It doesn't mean that I'm a ganster just because I have a hood on."

Many people disagree with the Mayor's idea, but he believes it's a small request to reduce crime. Bunten says, "I wouldn't have a quarrel with it. Now, I don't have a hoodie and I don't have a ball cap, but if I did I'd take it off. Most people take their hats off when they go into a store anyway. Well, they used to."

Laing works at Marion Lane Candles downtown and sees people in hoodies and caps everyday. She calls the proposal "kind of crazy." She says, "If someone's going to rob you, they're going to rob you. They'll find another way to hide their face. It could make it worse, you never know." Minihan says, "We used to be a country that loved individuality and freedom and it seems that everyday someone is changing that."

Some council members disagree with the proposal, while others commend Bunten for thinking outside the box. Bunten says, "Anything we can do to lower crime and make it safer for people who work in businesses, I think that's a positive."

Mayor Bunten says Topeka Police Chief Ron Miller told him about the idea to ban hoodies and ball caps. He says other cities find it to be successful.

The Mayor proposed 20 other items at the City Council meeting Tuesday night. One includes a salary raise for the mayor position and city council seats. The items are merely ideas for council members to think about.

So they want to ban hoodies and caps just in case a criminal is using them to hide their face.

I bet all sorts of criminal activities happen during the mayor's private meetings. Perhaps we should insist that the mayor and council be under constant recorded surveillance - just in case.