Inside Law Enforcement Surveillance

Technology has made amazing advances within the past decade. Many of these advances have benefitted law enforcement agencies, and therefore the greater public. According to a Business Insider Post from June 2020, technological advancements are enabling law enforcement officers to survey their communities more efficiently at a lower cost. Updates in surveillance methods include drones, facial recognition software, video analytics, social media tracking, and cell phone simulators called “Stingrays” which mimic cell phone towers and connect to personal phones collecting location and ID numbers [1]. The increase in surveillance capabilities has helped law enforcement agencies in several aspects and can arguably be used to assist in human trafficking rescue efforts. 

In 2016, the city of Detroit deployed “Project Green Light Detroit” using Genetec surveillance cameras at 8 gas stations across the city. These surveillance cameras are not the standard cameras only to be viewed by the business. They are directly connected to the Detroit Police Department and provide feedback to the DPD in real time. This program has grown immensely since the start of 2016 and has partnered with 500 local businesses in Detroit as of March of this year [2]. Each participating business has a bright green light accompanied by several signs on the property to alert the public that they are being monitored in real time. This method of surveillance has had a significant impact on the crime rates at the locations of the participating businesses. Along with deterring crime at these businesses when people recognize the green light, the surveillance has helped law enforcement make several successful arrests for crimes committed at green light locations. According to Mayor Duggan, the program “has become a centerpiece of our crime reduction strategy...” [3]. After the program had been active for a year, violent crime rates at and near participating locations had dropped 31% when compared to 2015, and during 2018, green light businesses had more than 66,000 patrol visits [4]. The success of this active surveillance system is due to the willingness of private business owners to join Project Green Light Detroit and extend those resources to the DPD. 

The New Orleans Office of Homeland Security formed their own Real-Time Crime Center in 2017 as part of a Citywide Public Safety Improvement plan. Using Genetec technology, NOHSEP added 350 video cameras and 100 automatic license plate readers to their streets. This increase in surveillance provides assistance in real-time investigations for police, traffic information for emergency response vehicles, situational awareness for those in life-threatening emergencies, and real-time information on flooding and other hazards during storms [5]. Information like this is extremely helpful for all first responders in New Orleans and has saved the New Orleans Police Department over 6,000 hours of on-foot investigative work according to the Genetec website [6].

In a more recent surveillance innovation, Atlanta began to use surveillance trailers in the summer of 2020. The rise of protests across the country and within the city of Atlanta left law enforcement severely understaffed and unable to efficiently monitor the city. This led to a collaboration with the Atlanta Police Foundation, a nonprofit organization in partnership with the Atlanta Police Department. Through their efforts, they were able to work with Axis Communications, Compass Security Solutions, and Genetec [7]. Together, they created 4 mobile trailers to be deployed in Atlanta to areas needing extra surveillance. These trailers are equipped with a live video camera, an automatic license plate reader, an outdoor speaker, mast, and solar panel. The trailers can last 5 days without an electrical charge and no sunlight and are connected to a video integration center that provides live feedback to the APD as part of their “Operation Shield Program” [8]. The trailers even have the ability to signal for a law enforcement response to their location if need be. Although these trailers are new, law enforcement saw positive effects including crime deterrence, situational awareness for police officers on scenes, and investigative assistance through captured video footage [9]. Due to the positive influence witnessed in such a short time, the APF plans to acquire more trailers in the future. 

Technology is not limited to public law enforcement agencies and their contracts with security agencies. There is a non-governmental organization, Seattle Against Slavery, that specifically works to end sexual exploitation through the strategies of “prevention, intervention, and transformation” [10]. The technology team at SAS developed what they call the “Freedom Signal”. This signal is a web-based platform designed for advocates to form relationships with potential victims through text messaging. There was a study conducted in 2014 that suggested 75% of sex trafficking survivors reported to be advertised online, and 62% of the minor sex trafficking victims confirmed they were advertised on the internet, which is why this technology is so important in rescue efforts [11]. The technology identifies potential victims through a process called web scraping, “an automatic method to obtain large amounts of data from websites.” [12]. The technology was designed by software engineers and survivors of online sex trafficking to be efficient in identifying victims and enabling a direct channel of communication. The Freedom Signal has contacted over 37,000 potential victims within North America since 2017 and has shown to have a 244% higher chance of receiving a response from victims when compared to in person contact [13].

The future of technology and its aid to human trafficking rescue efforts is promising. Surveillance and awareness play vital roles not only in the field of law enforcement, but in everyday life. We have seen the collaboration between law enforcement agencies, private security software companies, non-profit organizations, and non-governmental organizations make major impacts in public safety. It is critical to keep alliances throughout different agencies and organizations as we move forward together towards gaining human security for all. 

Researcher: Georgia Verrastro

Sources

[1] Holmes A. How police are using technology like drones and facial recognition to monitor protests and track people across the US [Internet]. Business Insider. Business Insider; 2020 [cited 2021Jul14]. Available from: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-police-use-tech-facial-recognition-ai-drones-2019-10#algorithm-driven-policing-4 

[2] Project Green Light Detroit expands to 500th partner, now includes a broad diversity of business types [Internet]. City of Detroit. 2021 [cited 2021Jul14]. Available from: https://detroitmi.gov/news/project-green-light-detroit-expands-500th-partner-now-includes-broad-diversity-business-types 

[3] Project Green Light Detroit expands to 500th partner, now includes a broad diversity of business types [Internet]. City of Detroit. 2021 [cited 2021Jul14]. Available from: https://detroitmi.gov/news/project-green-light-detroit-expands-500th-partner-now-includes-broad-diversity-business-types 

[4] Project Green Light Detroit expands to 500th partner, now includes a broad diversity of business types [Internet]. City of Detroit. 2021 [cited 2021Jul14]. Available from: https://detroitmi.gov/news/project-green-light-detroit-expands-500th-partner-now-includes-broad-diversity-business-types 

[5] Homeland Security - Real-Time Crime Center - City of New Orleans. [cited 2021Jul14]. Available from: https://nola.gov/homeland-security/real-time-crime-center/ 

[6] How New Orleans RTCC safeguards its community [Internet]. Genetec. Genetec Inc.; 2020 [cited 2021Jul14]. Available from: https://info.genetec.com/New-Orleans-RTCC-secures-its-city.html 

[7] Axis Communications. Atlanta PD deploys mobile, wireless surveillance trailers for crime deterrence. [Internet]. Axis Communications; 2020 [cited 2021Jul14]. Available from: https://www.axis.com/files/success_stories/ss_cit_atlanta_police_foundation_en_2011_lo.pdf 

[8] Axis Communications. Atlanta PD deploys mobile, wireless surveillance trailers for crime deterrence. [Internet]. Axis Communications; 2020 [cited 2021Jul14]. Available from: https://www.axis.com/files/success_stories/ss_cit_atlanta_police_foundation_en_2011_lo.pdf 

[9] Axis Communications. Atlanta PD deploys mobile, wireless surveillance trailers for crime deterrence. [Internet]. Axis Communications; 2020 [cited 2021Jul14]. Available from: https://www.axis.com/files/success_stories/ss_cit_atlanta_police_foundation_en_2011_lo.pdf 

[10] OUR MISSION [Internet]. Seattle Against Slavery. [cited 2021Jul14]. Available from: https://www.seattleagainstslavery.org/about-us/ 

[11] What is Web Scraping and How to Use It? [Internet]. GeeksforGeeks. 2020 [cited 2021Jul14]. Available from: https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/what-is-web-scraping-and-how-to-use-it/#:~:text=What%20is%20Web%20Scraping%20used%20for%3F%201%20Price,4%20Sentiment%20Analysis.%20...%205%20Email%20Marketing.%20 

[12] The Issue [Internet]. Freedom Signal. [cited 2021Jul14]. Available from: https://freedomsignal.org/issue 

[13] Freedom Signal. [cited 2021Jul14]. Available from: https://freedomsignal.org/