Staying ahead of surveillance

Closed circuit television (CCTV) has played a significant role. No one out in public can be truly confident what they are doing is not being captured on video.

No one wants to turn back the clock on using technology to catch criminals, but as new technology emerges, it’s critical the Government ensures the systems are in place to cope with its misuse.

Police are looking to improve surveillance with a network of CCTV cameras, capable of harnessing new facial recognition technology.

While little detail has been given about how it might improve on what currently exists, police have described their current facial recognition technology as ‘‘outdated and limited’’.

According to police statements, photos from a network of cameras could be sent directly to police to be shown to witnesses.

Giving criminals fewer places to hide would be welcomed by police, but there is good reason for caution. Virtually any technology which can be used to monitor criminals can be misused to monitor innocent people.

In general, New Zealand’s police force is exemplary in terms of a lack of corruption, but there are conspicuous examples of misuse of recources. Less than a year ago, 34-year-old former Auckland policeman Jeremy Malifa was convicted for using police systems to gain personal information on women he was attracted to and approaching them.

The case of former Invercargill police officer Ben McLean, who killed his estranged wife and shot her new lover, shows officers are capable of grave personal flaws.

Added powers which could be used to monitor movements could have serious consequences for people who have committed no crime whatsoever.

Inappropriate snooping is not unique to the police. In 2013 when troubled cricket star Jesse Ryder was left fighting for his life in Christchurch Hospital after being attacked outside a bar, clinicians across the Canterbury District Health Board not linked to his care checked his records.

Snooping may be an inevitable downside to technology and data gathering, which will continue to exist and improve over time. Not harnessing that power may lead to criminals being able to escape detection.

But just as important is trying as much as possible to keep regulation and procedures around that technology up to speed with its development.