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DPD To Monitor DNC Protests With Video Feeds

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Aug 21, 2008 9:04 pm US/Mountain

DPD To Monitor DNC Protests With Video Feeds

Written by Brian Maass

 Section: Democratic National Convention Section
DENVER (CBS4) ― The Denver Police Department will rely on live, high tech video feeds to try to isolate and arrest potentially violent protestors at next week's Democratic National Convention.

Denver received a $50 million federal grant for DNC security but officials have been extremely secretive about how that money has been spent. However a CBS4 investigation has learned where some of the money has gone, and how police plan to maintain peace at numerous protests and demonstrations that begin this weekend and continue through next week.

Sources say many officers will be armed with new cell phone video cameras capable of transmitting video live back to Denver Police Headquarters at 1331 Cherokee Street. There, authorities will sift through the pictures, and help identify individuals who should be pursued for unlawful activities.

Additionally, police contacts say the department has installed numerous fixed cameras around downtown Denver that will also transmit live pictures to police coordinators, who will be able to watch what's happening in "real time," identify potential instigators and problem spots, then relay that information to field officers who can quell problems or make arrests.

Much of that visual information will be ingested and viewed at multiple new "war rooms" at Denver Police headquarters. Numerous police sources say the department has purchased upwards of a dozen flat screen television monitors that have been installed in conference rooms that have now been configured as war rooms for the DNC.

The department also spent approximately $1 million dollars of the federal money on a new mobile command post. The RV-like vehicle is said to contain high tech communications equipment which hasn't always worked properly. Source say as late as this week, technicians were still working on the vehicle's internal electronics trying to work out bugs. On Thursday, Denver Police Chief Gerry Whitman said technical issues had been sorted out and the mobile command post would be up and running for the DNC.

The department has also borrowed two All Terrain Vehicles from the Los Angeles Police Department, according to internal police sources. They say the ATV's are equipped with sophisticated technology capable of translating police orders in English into numerous other languages, then broadcasting the warnings to protestors.

While Denver Police Chief Gerry Whitman was not asked specifically about what CBS4 had learned, he said Thursday "I'm confident we have everything in place to keep the event secure."

Additional Resources

• For complete coverage of the planning for the 2008 Democratic convention in Denver, as well as information about how to volunteer and for a list of helpful links, visit the Democratic National Convention section.



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