D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Thursday officially announced a state-of-the-art real-time crime center at Metropolitan Police Department headquarters that will monitor surveillance cameras around the clock. But some say the center raises concerns surrounding police accountability and privacy.
Federal law enforcement and police from around the D.C. area will monitor the District’s vast system of surveillance cameras.
Bowser said she hopes the new crime center will result in many more arrests.
“We have to have more technology to balance off not having the number of people resources that we have had in past years. So no camera will replace a live police officer, but it does enhance the forces, ability to be in more places, if you will,” Bowser said.
The American Civil Liberties Union of D.C. raised concerns about the police monitoring the public around the clock.
“A center where police watch what people do in the District every hour of every day is an alarming expansion of government surveillance. With no oversight, the real-time surveillance center leaves serious questions about our safety and our rights unanswered,” ACLU-D.C. Executive Director Monica Hopkins said in a statement. “What behavior will police be watching for? What will they do if they think they see it? How will police use what they see, and who will they share it with? And will anyone be there to ensure that police don’t violate people’s rights?”
Numerous agencies from Virginia and Maryland, and federal agencies, will partner with D.C. to operate the crime center.
Some of those agencies include:
- U.S. Secret Service
- U.S. Park Police
- U.S. Capitol Police
- Metro Transit Police
- Amtrak Police
- Arlington County Police Department
- Fairfax County Police Department
- Montgomery County Police Department
- Prince George’s County Police Department
“I’ll use Prince George’s County, for example. There are armed carjacking suspects that are going between both jurisdictions and oftentimes we’re either on the radio or we’re on a phone just trying to track those individuals,” D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said. “We can track that vehicle in real time, and it’s a quicker response time than what we currently have right now.”
Smith said the crime center will not use facial recognition or artificial intelligence, but did not elaborate on any potential future use.
On their website, MPD lists nearly 50 permanent cameras deployed across the city, with many downtown. Hundreds more are located in neighborhoods elsewhere.
In addition to the hundreds of government cameras already in place, Bowser said she plans to ask private businesses and homeowners to link their security cameras to the crime center’s network.
“I think the expectation is that we’ll be working with our business community first and then go from there,” Bowser said.
“But they’re literally – in any establishment that you go in – there are cameras. And what we’re talking about is how to best coordinate those cameras for public safety,” Bowser said.
The plan comes amid a crime crisis in the District. There have been over 200 homicides in D.C. so far this year, and more than 70% of those cases remain unsolved. An FBI agent, a congressman and Amazon driver are some of the victims included in the over 900 carjackings in D.C.
News4 asked Bowser Wednesday how the chief of police will be able to staff the center 24/7 and maintain enough officers on the streets when the department already is short-staffed.
“I think that we recognize that we have a need to do both, and that is what the MPD is called on to do and that is what they will do,” she said.
New York City and Philadelphia have launched similar centers. The idea is that once a crime is reported, officers can dial into that location through cameras right away and trace the suspects, even if they cross into Maryland or Virginia.
D.C. plans to have the new center up-and-running in February next year.
