Community Safety and Technology

The Mankato Department of Public Safety is proposing technology enhancements to improve safety, streamline investigations, and maximize overall law enforcement efficiency. These enhancements build upon existing practices by integrating new technology into current infrastructure, rather than creating an entirely new system.

• Increased Efficiency: Automates time-consuming processes such as manually reviewing video footage.
• Better Outcomes: Helps identify suspects and vehicles much faster.
• Proactive Approach: Provides additional deterrence benefits and real-time investigative capabilities.
• Cost-Effective: Leverages existing investments while minimizing new infrastructure costs.

The proposed technology, already in use by police departments across Minnesota, enhances and streamlines routine tasks carried out by Mankato police officers every day, making their work more efficient and effective. Investing in these tools would speed up the search for missing persons and crime suspects, reinforcing the City’s commitment to community safety and accountability. For example, many of Public Safety’s news releases feature surveillance images that play a key role in identifying and bringing offenders to justice—tasks that become much harder without such technology.

The Mankato Department of Public Safety is committed to using these tools responsibly, ensuring they are applied fairly and with proper cause. Operators must take reasonable steps to avoid unintentionally capturing or transmitting images of areas with a reasonable expectation of privacy. All data and images collected by the ALPR are strictly for official departmental use. Since this data may contain confidential information, it is not available for public access. Any misuse of these tools could result in disciplinary action and could lead to criminal charges under Minnesota law. View the draft ALPR policy for complete details and statutes.

What is already in place?
	Milestone cameras: Mankato has 542 of these surveillance cameras. (View camera placement map.) Manual license plate checks: Officers currently run plates manually from squad car computers.

What is being proposed?
1. Upgrade existing and add additional cameras in the downtown corridor (Milestone cameras):
Enable AI-powered video analytics on existing cameras Rapid Review: Allows for multiple camera overlay AI suspect tracking: Saves significant time during investigations AI search function: Finds footage based on vehicle, clothing, or other descriptions Missing persons: Accelerates efforts to identify and locate missing individuals Purchase Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) Enabled Cameras Purchase 20 new ALPR-enabled cameras to be placed where license plate recognition would be beneficial (downtown streets, downtown parking ramps, etc.) Current Milestone cameras are not ALPR capable 20 older cameras would be relocated to other locations
2. Add Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) in Squad Cars (Axon cameras)
Enhances existing cameras in squad cars Technology already exists and just needs to be turned on Automatically identifies stolen vehicles Provides real-time alerts to officers Helps find missing persons Currently in use by other cities in Minnesota (view list of cities)
3. Add New Cameras Near Entrances to the City Limits and Heavily Traveled Roads (Flock cameras)
Connects local footage to a nationwide law enforcement network Helps find missing persons Provides real-time intelligence sharing between agencies Requires Initial purchase of 13 cameras Currently in use by other cities in Minnesota (view list of cities)
4. Purchase Mobile Trailer Cameras
Allows for temporary surveillance in key locations Intentionally visible to deter unlawful activity at high profile events Requires a new purchase