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Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak will meet with Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley and other Chicago officials over the next two days to study Chicago’s advanced public safety camera system, considered to be one of the most advanced in the world and a model to an increasing number of large cities.

Chicago is implementing a cutting-edge strategy to install more than 2,000 safety cameras throughout the city, paired directly with ‘shot-spotter” sensors that detect and pinpoint gunfire. Chicago’s expanding camera network is linked to their 911 hotline, allowing 911 calls to switch on the nearest camera in real-time. Chicago police patrol cars are also hooked into a vast crime database fed by the cameras, which predict crime patterns and behavior. Mayor Rybak and City Council Public Safety Chair Don Samuels will meet with Chicago officials responsible for building and maintaining this new camera and database network.

The Chicago visit follows the announcement earlier this week of Mayor Rybak’s plan to dedicate $2 million over the next two years to public safety technology such as safety surveillance cameras, “shot-spotter” gunfire sensors and squad car video. The new safety technology investment is part of Mayor Rybak’s comprehensive public safety proposal that includes hiring 43 more police officers, expanding youth crime prevention, increasing graffiti enforcement and improving blighted and problem properties.

Mayor Rybak’s safety technology plan builds off the success of groundbreaking security camera technology already showing results in Minneapolis. Two years ago Target Corporation funded 30 safety cameras in downtown Minneapolis and the Downtown Safe Zone initiative put private security on a common radio channel with police. These technologies helped police respond to crime and led to record prosecution and conviction of chronic criminals. Safety cameras are now planned for the Cedar-Riverside and West Broadway neighborhoods.

“As Minneapolis initiates our largest expansion of public safety technology, we can learn a lot from Chicago, the leader in this area,” Mayor Rybak said. “Our goal is to create a state-of-the-art, comprehensive safety network that combines multiple camera and database technologies, fused into our new city-wide wireless internet strategy, that helps our police fight crime more efficiently and effectively. Together, all these technologies will be integrated into a cutting-edge network that will help our police provide the tough enforcement we need and keep repeat offenders off the street.”

A Renewed Pitch for the Democratic National Convention

While in Chicago, Mayor Rybak will join Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and state Democratic leaders to host a reception for members of the Democratic National Committee who are meeting in Chicago this weekend. The “Convention in the Heartland” reception will again showcase the mayors’ excitement about hosting the 2008 convention on the banks of the Mississippi River. Minneapolis-Saint Paul is one of three cities in the running to host the Democratic convention and one four cities competing for the 2008 Republican National Convention.

City of Minneapolis

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