Gun Spotting Cameras in New Orleans?

The technology can see through layers of clothing.

Modern city in the crosshairs of terrorism - Conceptual photo.

It’s no surprise that New Orleans is a city with a lot of crime. What might be surprising is how the city is thinking about dealing with this situation.

Cameras that use infrared or similar technologies that can “see” guns through layers of clothing are being considered as the city ramps up safety in the tourist quarter. Mayor Mitch Landrieu has proposed new safety and security measures including the gun-spotting cameras. The technology uses temperature differences to tell the difference between skin, clothing and guns. the camera would then alert a police officer, who could focus on the person with the gun.

Shoot outs kill and injure people in the tourist areas, particularly along Bourbon Street, throughout the year. Last November, one person was killed and 9 were wounded in a shootout there. We understand that police officers and city officials are worried about people’s safety. But what about privacy?

It is possible that privacy concerns will mean that the gun-spotting cameras do not make it into Mayor Landrieu’s final safety and security proposal. One of his other plans calls for making Bourbon Street a pedestrian mall. Currently, cars can drive on it, although there are so many pedestrians it is not an easy thing to do.

The cameras have limited range and can not scan a large crowd.  The French Quarter Task Force, a private policing force, said that the infrared cameras are like metal detectors. Police in New York City talked about using similar technology a few years ago, but that was never acted on. If enacted, the cameras might be used at entrances or “check points.” The Task Force is considering cameras that can also read license plates, to prevent criminals from fleeing town in cars.

The Louisiana American Civil Liberties Union spokesman Marjorie Esman said the plans were “very disturbing.” “I think that this is a violation of people’s constitutional rights, and I cannot imagine that the public will accept that,” Esman said. “It really defies common sense because it presumes that everybody carrying a weapon is going to use it for an improper purpose, and that’s just not the case.”