Data Breach Shows Extent of Police Surveillance

11/7/21

By Christian Maitre

A recent massive data breach of the Dallas police’s aerial surveillance footage is a reminder to Americans that information collected by police and the government is far from secure. The 1.8 terabytes of police helicopter footage showed detailed pictures and videos of people’s every move. Citizens were surveyed walking the streets of Dallas and even standing in their own yards. All footage was extremely detailed.

Privacy advocates are extremely critical of this constant, mass surveillance. They believe that this surveillance is an extreme overstep by police, and a massive breach of citizen’s privacy. “It’s a crystal-clear example of why mass surveillance makes our society less safe, not more safe,” says Evan Greer.

New Orleans, Bourbon Street Police Surveillance

According to an article on Wired, many people aren’t aware of just how powerful the police department’s surveillance tools really are. For example Police helicopters are perceived as vehicles that simply monitor traffic. But in reality helicopters often carry police departments' most powerful and effective surveillance equipment. Helicopter mounted cameras are capable of taking videos and photos of people with immense detail.

One could argue that surveillance tools like police helicopters keep us safe by monitoring crowds during events or criminal activity. But much of the leaked surveillance footage had little to connections to any active investigations or safety concerns. And there’s ample evidence of this technology being abused. There’s been many well documented instances of police officers using surveillance-copters to intimidate neighborhoods with high populations of people of color. Helicopters fly low to the ground in these neighborhoods to deter protestors.

Our police who are meant to protect and serve us possess technology that blatantly violates our privacy rights as citizens. In a time during American history where police brutality plagues families and neighborhoods, this technology only furthers police's ability of committing acts of violence.

Want to learn more about the police's surveillance security apparatus? Heres a helpful video I found done by PBS: