Police Want AI Surveillance, But What About Your Privacy?
The Belize Police Department is pursuing artificial intelligence (AI) technology to improve its surveillance capabilities, with plans to use the technology to analyse CCTV footage while allowing more officers to remain on the streets.
ASP Stacy Smith says the department is lobbying an agency for financial assistance to acquire the technology, which would allow for deeper analysis of footage captured by the country’s surveillance cameras.
“The cameras have assisted greatly in our investigative capabilities, and we continue to pursue resources that allow us to have a more intimate and deeper analysis of these technological cameras,” Smith said.
She explained that the proposed AI system would allow the department to monitor incidents while freeing up more officers for duties in the field.
Smith also addressed concerns about how the technology could affect citizens’ privacy, emphasising that the department remains mindful of privacy and national security.
“As a department, we are cognisant of the constitutional limits when it comes to the operations that we conduct, particularly in relation to privacy, and we are similarly cognisant of matters of national security. I can assure you we take issues of privacy very seriously,” she said.
Smith said that discussions with the agency are focused solely on securing financial assistance for the programme and that the arrangement would not involve compromising citizens’ privacy.
“The deliberation and dialogue that is happening is solely to the extent of providing financial assistance as it relates to the implementation of this programme, and not with the understanding that we will be selling the privacy of our citizens.”
Smith did not outline how the AI technology would work or what specific capabilities it would bring to the department’s existing surveillance system.