The Lot Cop Is Watching
In parking lots and on sidewalks, they twinkle blue. Sitting on two wheels and fitted with surveillance cameras and solar panels, they’re designed to deter criminal activity and give business owners a sense of security. Colloquially, the devices are sometimes known as “lot cops,” though manufacturers of them tend to prefer terms like “mobile surveillance trailers.”
Though they may seem like a recent phenomenon, the Minneapolis Police Department has been using them for at least the last decade. West St. Paul-based Mobile Pro Systems, a maker of surveillance devices, has counted the MPD as a customer for over 12 years, says Jamie Baillargeon, vice president of sales and marketing. Mobile Pro’s lineup includes “lot cops” that start at $35,000, along with other security devices like streetlight cameras. Baillargeon says MPD has about 30 systems that it uses for lighting and security.
Proponents believe it has the same deterrent effect as a law enforcement officer. “People generally behave better when they know they can be held accountable,” Baillargeon says.
Public information officer Brian Feintech says MPD uses data to determine where to place the devices. Sometimes, it will locate lot cops at the request of business owners. “We’d love to have more, just because it makes business owners feel safer,” Feintech says.
Not every lot cop you see belongs to MPD, though; business owners have also been putting them out on their own, and they control the video that’s collected. They don’t need MPD’s permission to use them, either. In the Target parking lot on East Lake Street, for instance, you’ll see a lot cop manufactured by LiveView Technologies, another prominent industry player. There’s another by Whole Foods west of Uptown.
Lot cops are mobile, so they can pop up at high-volume events too. Plus, they’re generally a cheaper alternative to permanent security infrastructure. “They’re more adaptable,” says Simon Osamoh, CEO of Chaska-based Kingswood Security Consulting. “I think that’s why a lot of retail organizations are starting to like them—because they’re mobile and agile.”
