NYPD's Big Apple Connect Program Expands, Raising NYCHA Privacy Concerns
The New York City Council held an emergency oversight hearing this week to scrutinise the NYPD's use of the Big Apple Connect internet program to access NYCHA CCTV cameras. The hearing revealed a significant expansion of the program and raised concerns about transparency and resident privacy.
Currently, 68 CCTV cameras at one NYCHA development are linked to the NYPD's citywide surveillance software through the Big Apple Connect program. By the end of this year, the NYPD plans to connect 1,900 cameras across 19 more NYCHA properties, with eventual ambitions to connect 17,897 cameras across 119 NYCHA developments.
The Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) initially withheld the Big Apple Connect program contracts from the City Council's technology committee. It was only after a lawsuit that these documents were made available. Moreover, OTI did not inform NYCHA residents that the free internet program was facilitating live police surveillance.
Real-time access to NYCHA CCTV cameras allows the NYPD to respond more swiftly to incidents and potentially apprehend suspects or identify witnesses. However, lawmakers and advocates have expressed concerns about the integration of NYCHA CCTV footage with the NYPD's Domain Awareness System, which can be used for facial recognition analysis and predictive policing. The system has been used to label individuals as gang members based on their associations with friends and family.
During the hearing, the city did not provide answers to many of the councilmembers' questions, including which NYCHA sites were set for camera integration and how they were selected. It remains unclear which authorities have permitted the NYPD access to cameras in NYCHA developments.
The NYPD's expanded use of NYCHA CCTV cameras through the Big Apple Connect program raises important questions about surveillance, privacy, and transparency. As the program continues to grow, it is crucial for the city to provide clear answers to these questions and engage in open dialogue with NYCHA residents and lawmakers.
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