Grand Rapids Video Surveillance Camera Map

Introduction

In July of 2004, Media Mouse conducted a study of surveillance cameras in the downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan area and released the results. Since the initial study, Media Mouse has begun a project to map cameras as they appear.

Methodology

The initial study was conducted in July of 2004 by walking around downtown and identifying publically visible cameras. We have mapped all cameras in areas where one would be video taped in what is ostensibly a public area, for example, on a public sidewalk or road.

To define the "downtown area" we use the map the city of Grand Rapids provides on their website.

While we could only identify visible cameras, there is the possibility of hidden cameras being used in the downtown area, as they are used in many other cities. It is also worth noting that all busses operated by The Rapid have video and audio monitoring systems and that the main branch of the Grand Rapids Public Library uses video surveillance throughout the library.

Key

• Dome Camera (112 cameras)
• Semi-Rotational Camera (43 cameras)
• Fixed Camera (17 cameras)
• Web Camera (1 cameras)
• ATM Camera (3 cameras)

The Map

Updates

Please contact us with updates. Please include the exact address and location of the camera in question.

Resources on Video Surveillance

• ACLU: What's Wrong with Public Video Surveillance?
  A well-argued position paper against video surveillance, citing past abuses, the potential for greater abuses in the future, and the failure of the systems to deter crime.
• Electronic Privacy Information Center: Video Surveillance
  A group that focuses on cameras in the Washington, DC area, but also maintains an extensive list of links to news articles on video surveillance. An invaluable resource for people researching public video surveillance.
• The Surveillance Camera Players
  The Surveillance Camera Players are a New York City group that maps surveillance cameras and organizes against the proliferation. Their site also contains links to chapters of the SCP outside New York and has a number of resources on the subject of video surveillance.