Minneapolis Police Considering Purchasing Super Bowl LII Surveillance Cameras

Minneapolis Police Considering Purchasing Super Bowl LII Surveillance Cameras

MPD is looking into purchasing the surveillance cameras Verizon installed for the Super Bowl over a year ago.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Feb 20, 2019

Despite the fact that it has been over a year since the the Minneapolis Super Bowl LII, remnants of the big game remain. 

The Minneapolis Police Department is considering purchasing surveillance cameras Verizon installed downtown before Super Bowl LII. Seventeen of the 20 cameras — which were installed at no charge to the city — have been operational since, alongside more than 200 existing cameras citywide. While MPD states the cameras fill holes in its coverage, some City officials have raised privacy concerns.

“They’re the same cameras going into the same video management system as all of our other cameras,” said MPD Commander Scott Gerlicher in a presentation to the City Council’s Public Safety and Emergency Management Committee on Feb. 6. “There’s literally no difference to those.”

Most of the extra camera coverage is on Marquette Avenue in areas MPD defined as high-traffic and high-density with a few located along Washington Avenue downtown. Ward 3 City Council member Steve Fletecher is concerned about the privacy of residents and stressed the important of pubic input before deciding to keep the cameras.

“If people feel like we’re trying to get away with something because we said these are just temporary, so we never had an opportunity for public comment on them because they were just temporary and then they just stayed, that looks very suspect to people,” Fletcher told Minnesota Daily.

While some residents have concerns, others believe the benefits outweigh the concerns about privacy, said attorney and Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association board chair Joe Tamburino. Minneapolis should follow the example of major cities that have adapted large-scale use of surveillance cameras, he said.

“When you have the eye in the sky looking down on areas [where] there’s criminal activity, it makes it a safer city, and we’re behind the times in it,” Tamburino said. “You go to New York, there’s cameras everywhere.”

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Ransomware Attacks Rise for the First Time in Six Months

    Ransomware attacks have risen for the first time in six months, increasing by 28% month-on-month to 421 attacks. While overall attack volume remained below 500, the uptick may signal a renewed escalation heading into the year’s most active period for cyber criminals. Read Now

  • Report: 47 Percent of Security Service Providers Are Not Yet Using AI or Automation Tools

    Trackforce, a provider of security workforce management platforms, today announced the launch of its 2025 Physical Security Operations Benchmark Report, an industry-first study that benchmarks both private security service providers and corporate security teams side by side. Based on a survey of over 300 security professionals across the globe, the report provides a comprehensive look at the state of physical security operations. Read Now

    • Guard Services

  • Identity Governance at the Crossroads of Complexity and Scale

    Modern enterprises are grappling with an increasing number of identities, both human and machine, across an ever-growing number of systems. They must also deal with increased operational demands, including faster onboarding, more scalable models, and tighter security enforcement. Navigating these ever-growing challenges with speed and accuracy requires a new approach to identity governance that is built for the future enterprise. Read Now

  • Eagle Eye Networks Launches AI Camera Gun Detection

    Eagle Eye Networks, a provider of cloud video surveillance, recently introduced Eagle Eye Gun Detection, a new layer of protection for schools and businesses that works with existing security cameras and infrastructure. Eagle Eye Networks is the first to build gun detection into its platform. Read Now

  • Report: AI is Supercharging Old-School Cybercriminal Tactics

    AI isn’t just transforming how we work. It’s reshaping how cybercriminals attack, with threat actors exploiting AI to mass produce malicious code loaders, steal browser credentials and accelerate cloud attacks, according to a new report from Elastic. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.