I'm a officer for the Department of Homeland Security, stationed in the beach town of Santa Monica, CA. I am an investigator on various domestic terrorism cases, and spend my time investigating individuals who operate in Santa Monica and nearby area. With the proximity to LAX, I find myself tracking on many regulars, as well as new faces who frequent the area when flying around the globe.
In the old days we had to depend on our physical skills for surveillance, but in 2013 we have a wealth of new surveillance, but also sousveillance tools we can put to use when looking to get information for our cases.
This particular day I'm tracking on two individuals who are in the area for unknown reasons, but fit a profile we are tracking on. Based upon their cell phones, I know where these individuals are, but I don't have much visibility into exactly what they are up to, and who they are with.
Using cell phone location data I can tap a wide network of gas station, convenience store and other security cameras to give me more visibility. Access to surveillance in 2013 is getting much more seamless, allowing me to access in real-time or quickly access historical content as I need.
Beyond surveillance tools, one new tool I'm learning to use is my agency sousveillance dashboard. I can pull up lists of individuals who are planning trips to Santa Monica area and take advantage of users to take photos using popular platforms like Instagram.
Based upon the online history of the public, I can develop sousveillance teams that are built of unknowing digital citizens. These individuals fit profiles of sousveillance team members I will need, people who eat at certain places, enjoy music venues, always travel to tourist sites and stay at particular types of hotels. These unknowing team members will be my eyes and ears on the ground, taking photos of what I need in the field.
Searching through Instagram photos to get what I need is not that new. What I'm learning today is how do I incentivize my sousveillance team with Instagram #Hashtag contests and Foursquare deals that route them in the directions I need them to go. Depending on where my target is moving I may need to re-route and change where my team goes.
My sousveillance toolbox is exciting. I'm thinking about new and powerful ways I can get the pictures I need out in the field. The days are gone where I am short of resources to get the surveillance I need. I have an unlimited number of team members in the field now, I just need to understand how to better use them to get results.
