Chicago police are launching a new “strategic decision support center” (SDSC) to watch for crime on CTA within the department’s 1st District, including parts of downtown, South Loop, and the Near South Side.
It will monitor using “smart policing technology, a network of surveillance cameras and real-time crime data,” to quicken police response times.
CPD will also have access to the CTA’s entire network of 32,000 surveillance cameras, allowing police to monitor CTA train and bus platforms, turnstiles, tunnels, and pay stations in real-time.
It appears the purpose of the new center is to allow officers to not only catch crimes unfolding, but also officers can then follow criminals who use the CTA for their escape.
The department has said SDSCs have already proven successful at helping police prevent crime by using data analysis, gunshot sensors, live surveillance camera feeds, recognition software, and trained crime analysts to predict when crime might happen.
