Mankato Department of Public Safety seeking input on technology enhancements
The Mankato Department of Public Safety invites residents to participate in a community survey to share their thoughts on the proposed technological enhancements detailed below. Public feedback will help shape decisions to optimize safety measures.
The public comment period is open until April 23 on Every Voice Mankato. Visit everyvoice.mankatomn.gov to view additional information, frequently asked questions, and access the online survey. Community feedback gathered will be presented to the City Council on April 28.
Benefits of the Technology Upgrades
- Increased Efficiency
- Proactive Approach
- Better Outcomes
- Cost-Effective
The City currently utilizes 542 Milestone surveillance cameras across various locations, mostly in the downtown corridor. Manual license plate checks are conducted by officers using squad car computers. Public Safety is proposing the following additions:
- Enhanced Downtown Surveillance Upgrading and expanding Milestone cameras in the downtown area with AI-powered video analytics to accelerate investigations, track suspects, and locate missing persons. The addition of 20 Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) cameras will further improve vehicle tracking, while older cameras will be repurposed in other areas.
- ALPR Technology in Squad Cars Activating existing ALPR features in squad car cameras to automatically identify stolen vehicles, assist in locating missing persons, and provide real-time alerts to officers. This technology is already in use in many Minnesota cities.
- City Entrance and High-Traffic Cameras Installing 13 Flock cameras near city limits and heavily traveled roads to connect Mankato’s surveillance network with a nationwide system, enabling real-time intelligence sharing and enhanced efforts to find missing persons.
- Mobile Trailer Cameras Acquiring mobile, highly visible surveillance units to monitor high-profile events and deter unlawful activity.
The proposed technology, already in use by police departments across Minnesota, enhances and streamlines routine tasks carried out by Mankato police officers every day, making their work more efficient and effective. Investing in these tools would speed up the search for missing persons and crime suspects, reinforcing the City’s commitment to community safety and accountability. For example, many of Public Safety’s news releases feature surveillance images that play a key role in identifying and bringing offenders to justice—tasks that become much harder without such technology.
The Mankato Department of Public Safety is committed to using these tools responsibly, ensuring they are applied fairly and with proper cause. Operators must take reasonable steps to avoid unintentionally capturing or transmitting images of areas with a reasonable expectation of privacy. All data and images collected by the ALPR are strictly for official departmental use. Since this data may contain confidential information, it is not available for public access. Any misuse of these tools could result in disciplinary action and criminal charges under Minnesota law.
Community feedback is open for the next 30-days and will be presented to the City Council on April 28. To view detailed information and provide your input, visit Every Voice Mankato.
