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BREC plans to turn the camera network across its parks into a live surveillance system, which will incorporate a round-the-clock monitoring center and artificial intelligence that can alert when people or objects are on screen.
The system, which includes more than 1,500 cameras across 77 parks in East Baton Rouge Parish, previously has been used after the fact to gather footage for investigations. Under the new program, hired security will monitor the system live via from a 24/7 Security Operations Center and alert police. It is being set up by Contingency Consulting LLC, run by former Baton Rouge Police Cpl. David Burtwell, and Clearly Managed Consulting, run by former BRPD Officer Charles Robinson.
During a presentation in January, BREC information systems director Steven Knight said “two or more agents” will monitor the system and use it to respond to crime, including vandalism.
“We’re leveraging AI object detection across all of those locations,” he said. “Those AI detections will say, ‘This guy’s at this place doing this thing at this time,’ and these people here will get real-time notification and they can respond.”
The BREC Commission initially approved contracts of $40,000 for both companies in January, and revised them to $80,000 in February. The money paid for the consulting firms to set up the surveillance system. The commission also approved the creation of three new positions for the project — surveillance manager, supervisor and agent — with maximum salaries ranging from around $60,000 to just above $86,000.
Both consulting contracts were set to expire at the end of March, but commissioners debated Thursday approving a one-year extension and increasing the total amount of the two contracts to about $178,895. They ultimately voted to extend the contracts by one month but deferred the larger decision after Commission Treasurer Carl Stages questioned the rising costs and asked if they were procured following public bid law.
“When the budget was being prepared last year, this was envisioned and $400,000 was included?” he asked BREC Finance Director Rhonda William. “You’re going to pull money from other programs or projects to fund this?”
Williams said funds for the contracts will come from savings obtained by BREC’s recent reduction in its workforce. BREC Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel Aneatra Boykin stated that the initial contracts were not obtained via public bid because the companies were hired as consultants and will remain in that role.
‘You will be recorded’
During Knight’s overview of the planned surveillance system in January, he said the cameras won’t be equipped with audio recording, but some will allow staff at the operations center to talk to people at the park.
“When we get a call, whether someone’s trespassing or someone’s broken in, they have this real-time response center that’s going to be able to dial in and determine whether or not it’s a negligent circumstance, whether or not someone needs to be dispatched, or whether someone just kind of forgot their keys,” he said.
He said the camera models have AI built into their systems, so the organization is not contracting with an additional software company. According to that company’s website, users can create alarm triggers for objects including people, vehicles, packages and animals.
“We do want the public to know we are serious about security,” Knight said to the commission. “And so, if you come on a BREC property, you will be recorded.”
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