CONNECT LITTLE ROCK: A NEW COMMUNITY ORIENTED PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM

Connect Little Rock is a new public safety program that rolled out this year in the hopes of lowering Little Rock’s crime rate.

The program is an innovative yet controversial idea: an individual or business can register their security cameras with Connect Little Rock so that the Little Rock Police Department (LRPD) can access the video feed.

Understandably, this concept raises some privacy concerns. Though the program is fairly new, some people have voiced concerns against the program such as how the LRPD is able to access an individual’s camera feed.

However, if one were to look more closely into how the program works, they would see that this program is no Orwellian 1984esque situation.

All of the security cameras registered with the program and connected to a device the program has named CORE are connected to a map the LRPD can look at. If a crime has occurred around a CORE-connected security camera, the LRPD are able to contact the owner of the camera and request access to the video feed.

The owner of the camera is not obligated to hand over the video feed, however. It is completely consensual, the LRPD will not have access to the video feed if they are not given the OK to do so.

So no, the program is not creating a surveillance state within Little Rock. Instead, the program creates a network of existing security cameras and their owners around the city. It creates a more streamlined method of communication between the LRPD and security cameras that could help the LRPD find perpetrators and lessen the crime in Little Rock.

Currently, only about 1,300 cameras are registered in the program. Without more cameras, the program will have a hard time getting up and running. In order to make this program a success, more people and businesses need to register into the system.

If you have any security cameras implemented into your home,

I urge you to participate in the program. Your security camera feed could help the LRPD track down perpetrators of crime. If you are interested in participating, the link to the Connect Little Rock website is as follows: connectlittlerock.org.

BY SKYLAR BOONE