MNPD Puts Eye in the Sky on CMA

MNPD has one SkyCop system, which can be moved to monitor large crowds.

Metro Police are trying out a new surveillance system to monitor crowds at CMA Music Festival. From a mobile tower, police plan to watch for criminal activity.

Police have placed a camera system high atop the Shelby walking bridge. From that vantage, officers can zoom in on concert-goers in Riverfront Park and beyond. The system also has thermal imaging and gunshot detection.

Police communications analyst Jason Anderson says the video is wirelessly transmitted to an onsite command center.

“It gives us a better eye for our incident commanders, so they can dispatch officers to locations to better provide security.”

This is the first year Metro is using the so-called SkyCop system for the CMA Festival. The department is also paying overtime to 40 officers during peak hours.

MNPD cobbled together multiple Department of Homeland Security grants to buy four SkyCop trailers for $290,000. All of them are in use for the CMA Festival.

For maps of Festival events, parking areas, and a restaurant guide, click HERE.