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Durham is setting strict rules for how the city’s police department can obtain and use surveillance technology.
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The action comes two weeks after the Durham City Council approved a $16 million contract with Axon Enterprise Inc. for new police drones, cameras and software.
In a resolution Monday night, the council sets parameters for how data will be collected, stored and audited before the Axon contract is officially executed. The document is similar to Community Control Over Police Surveillance, or CCOPS, ordinances some U.S. cities have requiring police departments to get public approval and government oversight before obtaining new surveillance technology.
“This is a good start,” Councilman Nate Baker said. “I think we can go further in the future if we want to … There are some tangible impacts that this resolution has.”
The resolution forces the city manager to build strict privacy, artificial intelligence and encryption rules into the city’s operating policies. The resolution differs from an ordinance since the rules only will affect how the city handles surveillance technology contracts and its own use. The city did not make a new criminal law regarding drones or AI, which is what an ordinance would do.
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The document responds to the council’s request for written protections for civil liberties and data privacy, stemming from the June 1 meeting when the Axon contract was approved. The resolution requires:
To ensure transparency, anyone who accesses public-facing cameras, drones or AI tools must be recorded for auditing.
Additionally, the resolution sets boundaries for body-worn cameras, drones with cameras, and the FUSUS real-time intelligence platform.
Key data protections in the resolution include:
Violations of any of the rules in the resolution will result in disciplinary actions, according to the city.
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