City residents living in predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods are three times more likely to be under the watchful eye of police surveillance cameras than those in mostly-white neighborhoods, according to the Rochester Police Accountability Board.
The PAB on March 2 released a report examining the Rochester Police Department’s use of surveillance tools. Among them: RPD’s blue light camera system. The network has been in place since 2008 and includes 157 surveillance cameras dotted on street lamps and the corners of buildings.
RPD’s website describes the cameras as “an extra set of eyes” that are “strategically located throughout the city based on developed crime data.”
PAB policy analysts, however, mapped the camera locations alongside crime patterns over the last three years and found no apparent connection. The oversight agency said the data “raises concerns about how surveillance locations are determined.”
RPD was not immediately in a position to comment. This story will be updated with their reply.
In 2024, the police department received a $10 million state grant for police technology, including $8 million to overhaul its aging camera network. The project is expected to take several years to complete.
PAB seeks input on police surveillance report
Following its review, the PAB is calling on RPD to adopt a privacy impact assessment template and publicly share assessments of current and proposed surveillance tools.
“These technologies often involve collecting personally identifiable information … While such data can aid investigations, it can also be misused or mishandled,” the report says. “Such data breaches can violate an individual’s right to privacy and constitutional protections. In addition to addressing universal concerns about privacy, it is important to protect against the disproportionate impact of surveillance technologies on marginalized communities.”
You can read the full report at www.rocpab.org. The PAB is accepting community feedback until April 3, before the report is finalized and formally submitted to city and police officials.
The PAB will also host a panel discussion on the report at 6 p.m. March 12 at the Thomas P. Ryan R-Center.
— Kayla Canne covers community safety for the Democrat and Chronicle with a focus on immigration, police accountability, government surveillance and how people are impacted by violence. Follow her on Instagram @bykaylacanne. Get in touch at kcanne@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Report finds police cameras cluster in Rochester Black neighborhoods
Reporting by Kayla Canne, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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