Downtown Columbia leaders want public educated about possible new surveillance system

After the Columbia City Council recently removed an agenda item related to real-time access by the Columbia Police Department to private security cameras, the Downtown Community Improvement District board continued discussion on the subject this week.

The District is seeking a separate grant for outdoor-facing cameras, an effort that is unrelated to what the city is doing, said Nickie Davis, District executive director, during a meeting Tuesday. The police department is seeking a letter of support from the District, however, for its possible purchase of Fusus surveillance software, she added.

"I have talked to (Police Chief) Geoff (Jones). I have reiterated one of our biggest things is this has to be a huge education process to the public," Davis said.

The public education likely would not happen until after council approval, Davis relayed about her conversation with Jones.

"He is not going to put the money into it, to educate the public on something he does or does not know is going to happen. So that is why we have not really seen that education part to this yet," Davis said.

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Access by Fusus, and by extension the police, in real time to private business cameras would be voluntary and for emergent situations. The department would need prior permission to access camera feeds, a city council memo noted. This is different than police requesting camera footage from business owners after an incident occurs.

On a suggestion from District board member Mike McClung, the District's letter of support would need to remain neutral.

"Is the position better to say we let police do policing? If they think this would improve their policing, we don't have anything against this process? It's just another tool in their toolbelt," McClung said.

There still are fundamental privacy matters not yet addressed, said Sarah Johnson, District board member.

"I don't like they are not going to do public education until it is approved and (residents) don't have a choice anymore in the matter," she said. "They should do public education before it goes to city council because then citizens will have a chance to come forward and say what they think about it.

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"The people who are going to be on the cameras are the citizens."

If the District puts its support behind the department's Fusus system purchase, it could  make it more likely for the city council to approve, Johnson said.

"Is our power just going to be used to keep the status quo going and not let the public know about what is going on here?" she said, adding she has not found any reviews outside of law enforcement of how Fusus affects a community's residents.

Johnson would be on board if the police would get funding related to Fusus before it purchased the usage licenses, which would allow for the period of public education.

"Whatever letter might be formed today, (we) make sure we point out there needs to be a huge public education process to this," Davis said in response to Johnson.

The public education could include that there already are a number of downtown cameras, said Mikel Fields, District board member.

"The cameras already are out there, but this takes the cameras to a whole different level with police being able to search through them," Johnson replied.

The District board is not granting access, but simply saying it does not have a problem with businesses giving access, McClung said.

"I don't have a problem making a motion for (the police) seeking the Fusus system," McClung said.

The District board approved submitting the letter to the city. Johnson was the lone vote against.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Columbia district leaders want public taught about surveillance system