NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) — Metro Nashville Police (MNPD) are aiming to expand their camera surveillance network across the city by tapping into private cameras. The Fusus camera system is no doubt a powerful tool for law enforcement, and keeping the public safe. However, critics fear it could lead to too much government surveillance and potentially dicey AI technology.
MNPD introduced a bill Tuesday to ask Metro Council to approve a $525,000 contract with Fusus, extending the current deal for the next three years. Police said the first year, 2022, was a trial period with the technology. However, MNPD pulled their ask of Metro Council to expand the Fusus program last year, after a specific policy for Fusus had not been drawn up. Other city departments would also have to weigh in, as well, like the legal department and Metro Council.
The Fusus camera network system would allow police to monitor outdoor security cameras from private businesses, as well as MNPD’s cameras, in real-time, if the business gives police permission, first. The footage can be viewed from a cloud-based, real-time crime center, of which MNPD debuted its Community Safety Center several months ago.
After heart-stopping moments last Saturday, as 10 people were shot off Jefferson Avenue, Metro Police tell FOX 17 News a detective spent hours overnight tracking down a nearby building’s owner in Lebanon. The goal- to attain the building’s security video which would likely show multiple angles of the mass shooting. The detective had to locate the building’s owner after hours and drive an hour away to where the video management system was located off-site. He also had to spend extra time navigating the security video’s software to download the footage.
Metro Police say these hurdles are commonplace when police work to obtain video from private businesses, or even residents, after a crime. And, they say oftentimes the video re-records over itself, likely after a day or two, before officers are able to reach the owners of the security cameras.
“We need to be faster,” said Deputy Chief Greg Blair of Metro Police, who helps oversee the Fusus program for MNPD.
Blair said that theFusus system connects special boxes to a business’s outdoor cameras, feeding it to MNPD’s Community Safety Center. A team of officers at the CSC can tap into the cameras, given the permission restrictions set out by the owner. This gives officers the ability to monitor potentially hundreds more locations, before, during, and after a scene.
“What is the description of the suspect? Description of vehicle? Direction of travel? You have officers responding in an emergency… is the suspect still there?” described Blair, of the information, in real-time, that police would be able to access and relay to officers responding to a scene.
Video is also an immense tool in helping track down missing people, and potentially children.
“A mother or father is going to be totally upset. Are they going to remember what their child wore that day? That video will show what the child wore. The individual that they left with. Hopefully, the car they left with,” added Blair.
Video can also be used to provide critical evidence later on at trial.
But opponents fear Fusus can lead to privacy concerns and a governmental surveillance overreach, potentially changing how we interact in society. FOX 17 News spoke to Beryl Lipton from the Electronic Frontier Foundation.
“(Heavily increased police surveillance) starts to impede on our ability to act freely as law-abiding humans, even if we are not doing anything wrong,” said Lipton.
Metro police’s Fusus policy aims to give business owners control, like the ability to specify when officers can access their cameras in real-time, for how long, and even during what types of incidents (i.e. robberies, shootings, disorderly persons).
Camera owners, referred to in the program as “donor cameras,” can also choose to simply let police know where their camera exists. About 1,200 businesses and private residents have already signed up to register their cameras in this sense. Officers can then more easily contact the owner afterwards, and request the video.
MNPD said that owners also maintain ownership of the video.
“This is the individual’s data. If you own a business and you sign up, it’s your video,” said Blair.
Lipton also raises concerns over what these types of camera networks could evolve into, like adding upgrades of AI facial recognition technology or other advanced algorithms to analyze video, either during the live feed or afterwards.
The use of facial recognition led the Detroit Police Department to misidentify and arrest one woman as a car-jacking suspect. She’s now suing.
“We have seen a number of people who have been misidentified,” said Lipton, who noted people of color are also more likely to be misidentified in facial recognition technology.
FOX 17 News asked MNPD if they’ll be using facial recognition.
“We’re not using facial recognition. We do not have a contract to use facial recognition,” said Blair. “That would trigger the surveillance ordinance, which Metro Council would have to approve.”
Both MNPD’s policy and contract confirm no facial recognition software is being used. However, critics worry that could change.
“At this time, it might simply be they (police) would like to get access to data from these particular cameras. But there’s a very easily attainable slippery slope,” said Lipton.
“If people don’t want to partner, I understand that,” continued Blair. “Maybe over time they will, and that’s where the trust comes in. We just have to earn that trust.”
Metro Police also said that business owners will know exactly when police log into their cameras, and that audits of officer use of Fusus would also be done.
However, a council member mentioned in Tuesday’s meeting that some modifications or clarifications to the policy should be explored.
A public hearing during Metro Council will be held on Nov. 19 on Fusus cameras, before a vote on whether Metro Council will approve the technology for MNPD.
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