Cambridge Police Install Surveillance Cameras in Central Square for Pilot Program

The Cambridge Police Department has installed six surveillance cameras in Central Square over the last month, launching the technology as some residents express anger at police surveillance and the possibility of collaboration with federal law enforcement.

The cameras, covering a five-block stretch of Massachusetts Ave near the Central Square MBTA station, were initially anticipated to launch in April, but instead went live in June due to “unforeseen technical issues,” according to CPD spokesperson Robert P. Reardon.

The cameras are “permanently deployed” and will continuously record, but will not always be monitored, according to a report CPD submitted to the Council last summer. Footage will be stored for 60 days by CPD and deleted if not needed for a criminal investigation.

The department hopes the cameras can give a “clearer picture” of incidents in Central Square to investigators while averting crime, though the cameras do not provide face or license plate recognition.

“It is our hope that the presence of cameras will serve as a deterrent to crime and when crime does occur serve as a valuable tool for investigators looking to identify those responsible,” Reardon wrote in a statement.

The Cambridge City Council approved a proposal in September to pilot the cameras in Central Square before expanding to other public squares throughout the city, including Harvard. There are no current plans to install more cameras. Reardon wrote that the efficacy of the cameras in Central Square will be a “key factor” in determining whether to expand into parts of the city.

Each camera is purchased from BCM Comfort Systems and costs roughly $15,000. The cameras are funded by the Urban Areas Security Initiative grant — funding from the Department of Homeland Security to help “high threat, high-density” urban areas respond to terrorism.

UASI already funds some of CPD’s existing technology, including license plate readers and the controversial ShotSpotter gun detection system. And in public meetings, residents and councilors have been quick to raise red flags as federal immigration enforcement continues to escalate nationwide.

Nearly a year ago, advocates raised privacy concerns with CPD’s initial proposal. Councilor Jivan G. Sobrinho-Wheeler tabled an earlier vote on the cameras to hear concerns about data sharing practices with other government agencies from the Massachusetts American Civil Liberties Union. Sobrinho-Wheeler was the only councilor who voted to oppose the camera pilot program last year.

Cambridge’s sanctuary city ordinance prohibits CPD from voluntarily cooperating with federal immigration authorities, but surveillance footage may still be shared if required by federal law.

—Staff writer Laurel M. Shugart can be reached at laurel.shugart@thecrimson.com. Follow them on X @laurelmshugart.