CPD talks with residents at public meeting, gathers feedback for proposed use of Fusus software

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Police Department held a public meeting Tuesday afternoon to give residents a chance to learn about Fusus, a software platform that allows police to access public or business video footage.

CPD officers and Fusus representatives met with local business owners and community members to answer questions about the software.

Fusus spokesman Sahil Merchant said the software is used in more than 150 cities nationwide.

Merchant said Fusus does not add any more security cameras to the city.

"It's not streaming all the time, it's primarily only on alerts for when something happens," Merchant said.

CPD claims the software would allow them to be able to respond to crimes appropriately. Chief of Police Geoff Jones previously said the program would be "an opt-in thing for anybody, it's complete voluntary."

CPD spokesperson Christian Tabak said the department has access to some local cameras already.

"We have access to the basic city cameras, ones at intersection with the stoplights, those sorts of cameras," he said.

CPD has to request camera footage with its current set up, but said the software would broaden the department's capabilities.

"The Fusus system would be a game changer as far as investigations go, and being able to access the materials," Tabak said.

Local hotel manager Jennifer Williams-Stacy attended today's meeting to learn about Fusus. Williams-Stacy said she hadn't heard about the software until she saw the press release from the Convention and Visitors Bureau today.

"I was like, 'OK, how does that involve my security cameras?' which I'm currently looking at upgrading anyways," she said.

However, she said she does understand why others have their reservations about the software.

"If we were living in a terrible police state, I probably would be concerned, and that's probably something that some people are afraid of."

Tabak and Merchant both believe the software would allow CPD to allocate resources appropriately.

"Having the information that comes from camera footage sooner gives us the ability to look for the car or the person dressed in a certain way more quickly, and it gives us the ability to direct our resources towards the investigation and less towards trying to gather video from business to business" Jones said last month following a Downtown shooting that occurred during Mizzou's Homecoming weekend.

Detractors of the system include the Mid-Missouri Civil Liberties Association, who sent a letter of concern to the City Council last month.

Dan Viets -- president of Mid-Missouri Civil Liberties Association -- said in the letter that the organization has reservations about the proposal.

"While business owners may indeed be required to give their consent before their cameras will be connected to the Fusus system, the businesses’ employees and customers certainly are not required to give permission," Viets said. "It is they whose activities will be placed under surveillance."

Last week, Columbia's Downtown Leadership Council voted in favor of Columbia police using the software.

A second meeting will be held 6-8 p.m. Wednesday at the Molly Thomas Bowden Neighborhood Policing Center, Community Room, 1204 International Drive.