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Police surveillance tech under review

License plate readers, phone tracking software, and cameras, plus the push to disclose and limit them.

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City Council

Speakers warn that surveillance technology threatens civil rights.

Council is studying how governments use surveillance tools, including the city's license plate readers and police cameras. On Sept. 21, speakers warned that surveillance technology can threaten civil rights. An Austin council member said his city struggled to regulate it and canceled its license plate reader contracts. A Carnegie Mellon expert said the city's report felt incomplete because it skips independent agencies like the schools.

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Police surveillance tech under review

City Council

Verra Mobility’s red light cameras land on a list of 37 surveillance tools up for review.

As Pittsburgh readies more red light cameras, council wants to know more about their surveillance abilities. The city's transportation director said the cameras capture only license plates. He said the city owns the data and destroys it within 30 days after a case ends. On Sept. 9, council also advanced a bill letting drivers pay tickets online and request hearings by phone or internet.

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City Council

City may publish what surveillance technology it uses.

Residents may soon learn what surveillance technology Pittsburgh uses and what it can do. Now council has advanced a request for a city report on 18 types of tools, including license plate readers and biometric software. It would also cover data protection and how civil rights harms are prevented. The report is due July 1, with a public hearing to follow.

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Police surveillance tech under review

City Council

Council approves license plate reading software as questions mount over surveillance policy and data sharing.

Pittsburgh police use license plate software that can track a car's travel history and routes. On March 18, a council member flagged an invoice for it, calling its data-sharing policy possibly too vague. That policy lets the city share data with outside agencies, which the administration told her excludes the federal government. Still, council approved paying the invoice.

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Police surveillance tech under reviewWho's watching city contracts

City Council

Pittsburgh police have quietly used cell phone surveillance software for seven years.

For seven years, Pittsburgh police have paid for cell phone surveillance software. On Feb. 12, a council member flagged a $2,754 invoice for the software, called CellHawk. She said the administration told her police request data only with a search warrant. So far, the contract doesn't appear to be publicly available.

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Police surveillance tech under reviewWho's watching city contracts

City Council

From horses to drones, city police use all available tools.

This year, the city approved police drone use in the field, and the bureau has now bought nine. The acting chief said they'll help officers gauge incidents, aid search and rescue, and document crime scenes. The money came from a trust fund that can only be used for unique purchases. Meanwhile, the mounted unit has eight new part-time riders.

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City Council

City is renting rooftops for surveillance cameras.

The city pays to keep video cameras and related equipment on a Mount Washington condominium roof. Council voted to support a new five-year, $105,600 deal, though it still needs final adoption. A council member said it was the first she'd heard of the cameras. A city official said the cameras there monitor traffic and can't zoom in on license plates or faces.

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Police surveillance tech under review