City Of Syracuse Surveillance Technology Group Seeks Public Input

Press release from the City of Syracuse:

July 13, 2021

The City of Syracuse Surveillance Technology Working Group is asking for community input on two proposed technologies. The City is considering the use of tethered unmanned aerial systems deployed in emergency situations and remote cameras and sensors to monitor for illegal dumping at vacant lots.

Input can be submitted at an online form which will be open for comment until Tuesday, July 27. Additional information about the technologies is provided below:

Tethered UAS

Tethered devices launch to give public safety responders situational awareness on major incidents like fatal crashes, train derailments, endangered missing persons, mass shootings, or barricaded individuals. They can also provide public safety awareness at large public gatherings or events. The devices, manufactured by Fotokite, only go up and down and have no horizontal capabilities.

Vacant Lot Monitoring

Monitoring uses cameras and sensors mounted on street lights or utility poles to monitor City-owned vacant lots where illegal dumping is a recurring problem. The pilot program is part of the City of Syracuse Smart City initiative in partnership with the New York Power Authority. It is being reviewed by the advisory group because equipment could capture images of people or vehicles which pass within the camera’s field of view.

Mayor Walsh appointed the Surveillance Technology Advisory Group to ensure residents have input on potential surveillance technology by the City. The group will consider public input as part of its review process for authorizing use of the technologies. The process is outlined in the City Surveillance Technology Policy. Mayor Walsh signed an Executive Order requiring the creation of the policy and public input in December 2020.

Questions regarding the review can be directed to Amanda Darcangelo in the Office of Accountability, Performance, and Innovation at adarcangelo@syrgov.net.

This press release was produced by the City of Syracuse. The views expressed here are the author’s own.