May 19, 2005 | First Responders Captured on Surveillance Camera

Cities are using millions of dollars in federal first responder grants to install surveillance camera networks and buy data-mining software.

Homeland security officials say the purchases fall within first-responder grant guidelines and are important tools in the war on terrorism. But privacy advocates say the technology is no deterrent to terrorism and can be used to violate civil liberties.

"Big Brother is using his extended family as surrogates to develop and implement technology that is very invasive on privacy," said former Rep. Bob Barr, Georgia Republican and former U.S. attorney.

New York City has the largest and oldest system, with more than 7,000 public and private surveillance cameras. Baltimore, Chicago and New Orleans are installing camera surveillance networks with federal homeland security dollars.

Chicago financed its 2,250 cameras with a $5.1 million grant and is adding more cameras over the next two years with another $48 million first-responder grant. The cameras, which cost up to $60,000 each, are controlled remotely by police to zoom and rotate, and are equipped with night vision.

In 2004, homeland security funds bought $193 million worth of surveillance cameras. Similar "physical security enhancement equipment" for large cities is to be used primarily for ports, said Homeland Security Department spokesman Marc Short. "I can't imagine a more logical expenditure of funds," he said. [...]

Under a separate first-responder grant, $470,000 was awarded to North Carolina to develop facial imaging technology, which identifies people by measuring distances between points on a face. Federal officials want to use this technology for passport identification, but critics say the system won't work.

The rest of Audrey Hudson's Washington Times story is here.

Posted by Ryan Singel at May 19, 2005 08:58 AM

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