Target's Surveillance Cameras and Community Policing

Target's Surveillance Cameras and Community Policing

If you've ever been in a Target, you may have noticed the dozens of "security camera hemispheres" hanging on the ceiling.target surveillance cameras These surveillance cameras are used to monitor shoplifting and organized retail crime. They also record outside and in the parking lot. Often, the security team at the store can build up a case against shoplifters before they leave. This is due to the fact that many stores use top of the line facial recognition technology which combines image analytics.

When it comes to community policing, Target is one of the most forward thinking corporations in the world.target surveillance cameras The company was the first to pioneer relationships between corporations and state and local governments, creating its own fusion centers to share surveillance and intelligence information.

In Minneapolis, Target has stepped in to help solve problems that have long plagued the city: racial segregation, yawning income gaps between White and Black residents, and disproportionately high rates of arrest and incarceration for black men.target surveillance cameras Many of these issues are connected to the city's legacy of police brutality, which has led to protests and unrest in recent months.

Target's leaders say the company is determined to face these challenges head on.target surveillance cameras They have vowed to invest in the community, provide jobs, and give back. But for some, that's not enough. One group, the Black-led nonprofit A Mothers Love, is asking the corporation to do more. In March, the founders of A Mother's Love and another group of black moms met with Target executives to discuss their concerns. The executives acknowledged that the violence was linked to broader problems, like poverty and the legacy of racial oppression.

Afterward, the mothers and their representatives called on Target to support a group of black community activists who are working on ways to improve policing and prevent violence.target surveillance cameras They also asked that the company create a "SafeZone" program in downtown Minneapolis, similar to one that Northampton, Mass., has used successfully to reduce gang and other violent crime.

The goal of the program is to deter criminal activity, provide an early warning system for suspicious activities, generate evi- dence to identify suspects and witnesses, and promote the perception of safety, encouraging people to use public spaces. Across the country, cities are setting up cameras to address these problems. The New York Times visited several of these sites--Greenmount, Baltimore; Tri-District, Washington; and Humboldt Park, Chicago--to document how they are being used and to learn from their experience whether surveillance is cost effective and if it is affecting crime.

The savings from reduced crime far outweigh the surveillance costs, Chicago officials say. But other sites could be less successful if they don't get the public's buy-in. They must also be careful not to stigmatize residents or undermine their trust. The city's guidelines, which were largely designed with input from residents and community groups, prohibit surveillance of people based on their race or other characteristics, restrict live monitoring to police offenders, and limit the number of people who can watch video remotely.