Brooklyn Park Council Approves New Police Surveillance Cameras
How Flock Safety Cameras Work
The Brooklyn Park City Council has unanimously approved surveillance technology that police leaders say could put a dent in violent crime.
Flock Safety is a company that offers a camera system that continuously captures photos of license plates and the back of vehicles. The technology can immediately alert police of a stolen vehicle, or a vehicle connected to missing persons and Amber Alerts.
Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said safeguards are in place to protect against use that violates state law. For Brooklyn Park, Bruley said department detectives will only be allowed to use it to investigate serious crimes.
“I really think there needs to be great limitations to governments’ ability to go in and look and spy and use drones. I’m a big proponent of strong rules around that, making it a great tool and not allowing to be abused. Flock has done a great job with that,” said Bruley.
Bruley pointed out the technology does not have facial recognition ability. He also said camera data will automatically be deleted every 30 days.
Like body-worn cameras, police will have an external audit to make sure it’s not abused, Bruley said.
Example of an alert police would see
What It Costs
Brooklyn Park will initially deploy eight cameras at a cost of $28,000 annually. Bruley said criminal forfeiture funds would initially be used to cover the cost of the system.
Other local police departments to use the technology include Robbinsdale, Brooklyn Center, Maple Grove, New Hope and Plymouth.
Private entities, including apartment complexes, also use the technology. Bruley said Eden Park Apartments, located on 65th & Zane avenues, is one of them.
Bruley said Brooklyn Park police plan to deploy cameras at strategic locations throughout the city. Zanewood Recreation Center would be one of them, Bruley said, because it’s seen as a “regional draw.” Other locations haven’t been determined, he said.
He added that other cities and agencies with Flock have found that “less kids are stealing cars and bringing them through their communities because they know they go through a certain intersection, police are on them immediately.”
Bruley said Brooklyn Park could apply for a Department of Commerce grant to expand usage if justified, though he believes the early returns on the system are good in reducing violent crime.
“This is a huge step forward in that work, having officers using technology to help identifying vehicles that are wanted and in dangerous incidents across the metro.”
