PHOENIX — The Phoenix Police Department is updating dozens of security cameras around the downtown area ahead of Super Bowl 57.
Phoenix PD has dozens of cameras in the downtown area, but the quality of the cameras has deteriorated over the years, which is why authorities have worked to update them.
The cameras will be a key tool for safety in Phoenix for the Super Bowl and events around the downtown area.
The dozens of cameras around downtown continuously record video, but do not record audio, nor do they have advanced technologies like facial recognition.
A spokesperson for the department said they are working on upgrading 33 cameras for the first phase of updates, and 16 additional new cameras will be installed.
However, not all will be done before the Super Bowl arrives.
“The clarity we have in the new cameras is substantially better than what we had before,” said Commander Brian Lee with the Phoenix Police Department. “Unfortunately, the heat we deal with out here just fries the cameras.”
Commander Lee said the cameras are placed overtly around the downtown area, but did not disclose the locations. However, ABC15 was able to confirm that many of the cameras are on public structures like parking garages and other public buildings like courthouses.
Commander Lee said that an officer is not watching the camera live stream 24/7 but they do continuously record. However, during large or special events the department will watch the cameras to help with security and placement of officers.
ABC15 spoke with Jared Keenan who is the legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona about the cameras.
He reminds people that you should always assume you’re on camera somewhere. However, he adds concerns about the cameras on how they can be used by law enforcement.
“I think some of the initial questions the public should have is how detailed these images can be, even though the police are claiming there is not facial recognition software, humans, police officers themselves can still look at the video and try to identify people in one way or another,” said Keenan.
Keenan added that the cameras could also track very personal details about a person’s life.
"It provides a greater level of detail into an individual’s conduct and what stores they enter, places of business they enter, what doctors offices they’re entering.”
Commander Lee tells ABC15 that he does not see the cameras as an invasion of privacy,.
"They’re not being hidden, they’re not on any interior of any building, they’re always in an area capturing spaces that are open to the general public,” he said.
