BOSTON – The Boston Police Department has increased the number of security cameras to its video surveillance network in an effort to increase security at the 2015 Boston Marathon.
The department tapped Lan-Tel Communications of Norwood, Mass., to install high-definition cameras along Boylston Street, the area where two bombs were detonated during the marathon two years ago, WBUR.org reports.
When the incident occurred, video footage helped authorities identify the terrorists, and Boston Police say the video was crucial to winning a guilty verdict against Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.
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The newly-installed cameras have been programmed to to automatically turn toward the sound of gunshots. Ideally, the software could alert authorities when crowds form or when a certain suspect is recognized by a camera.
It is unknown how many cameras are already in the city’s network or how many new surveillance cameras have been installed for the marathon. Authorities did state, however, that some of the newly installed security cameras will stay online following the event.
Not everyone is pleased with the additional cameras. Kade Crockford, of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, notes that although she understands why video surveillance is needed for big events like the Boston Marathon, the installation of the cameras raises privacy concerns.
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For example, Crockford believes that with some cameras being installed in some residential neighborhoods, it enables law enforcement to track individuals throughout their day.
Boston authorities maintain that they are being vigilant to protect individual rights.
