Law enforcement in Jackson, Mississippi has launched a pilot program that allows officers to tap into private surveillance devices during criminal investigations.
On Monday, the AP reported[1] that the trial, now signed off by the city, will last for 45 days.
The pilot program uses technology provided by Pileum and Fusus, an IT consultancy firm and a provider of a cloud-based video, sensor, and data feed platform for the law enforcement market.
See also: FBI warned of how Ring doorbell surveillance can be used against police officers[2]
WLBT says[3] that up to five city-owned and five private cameras will be used during the trial. However, if the scheme is considered successful, residents could then be encouraged to submit their own cameras to the pool -- drastically expanding the surveillance capabilities of local law enforcement.
Once a crime is reported, police will be able to "access cameras in the area" to examine elements such as potential escape routes or in order to track getaway vehicles by way of a "Real Time Crime Center" system.
Residents and businesses may be able to voluntarily participate in the future, if the trial continues, as long as they sign a waiver allowing law enforcement to patch into real-time live streams produced by their Amazon Ring cameras -- such as the Ring Doorbell product line -- when crimes are occurring.
According to Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba, this permission would allow police to track criminal activity and would "save [us] from having to buy a camera for every place across the city."
CNET: Election 2020: Your cybersecurity questions answered[4]
The trial has been made available free of cost to Mississippi's capital.
However, the pilot may prompt privacy concerns. As