LAFAYETTE, La. — Surveillance cameras will be deployed throughout Lafayette with no defined restrictions on the data collected by the network by a wealthy law enforcement booster's upstart private security company.
According to a cooperative endeavor agreement regarding security cameras between Lafayette Consolidated Government and Crime Fighters of Louisiana, LLC, Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory's administration awarded a no-cost contract allowing the security company to install cameras to city-owned utility poles, adding a surveillance system to the Lafayette Police Department.
The contract is dated Tuesday, Nov. 24 and is effective for four years for Crime Fighters of Louisiana, which is represented by Hewitt Brooks Bernard.
The contract says that Crime Fighters will attach the cameras to to utility, street light and traffic poles owned by LCG at the company's cost while LCG will provide electricity, cell service and fiber services to Crime Fighters.
According to the contract, LCG is already attaching its own cameras to LCG poles but this agreement will significantly expand its access to more such cameras for law enforcement purposes, at greatly reduced cost and accelerated time frame than LPD could on its own.
However, Crime Fighters will have to provide, install and maintain all cameras approved by LCG in the agreement at the company’s sole cost and it will have to obtain written approval from LPD for the locations of the cameras.
The agreement is vague on how the data collected from the surveillance network will be handled.
The contract states that LPD, through its police chief, can forbid all approved users from sharing passwords or access permissions with any person, and from using the cameras or software for any purpose other than law enforcement.
It also states that they are to immediately advise Crime Fighters if a user’s password or access permission has been compromised in any way, or if a user’s employment with LPD has been terminated.
This story was first reported by The Current.
You can read the agreement between LCG and Crime Figthers below:
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