Facial recognition cameras to protect cricket fans at SCG
HI-TECH facial recognition cameras will be deployed for the first time at a major Sydney sporting event today as part of an unprecedented security operation to protect players and fans at the Ashes Test at the SCG.
NSW
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NEW hi-tech facial recognition cameras are being deployed for the first time at today’s sellout Ashes Test at the SCG as part of far-reaching plans to counter terror threats.
With 46,000 fans expected to flock to the fifth Test security will be tight, with frequent bag checks, heavily armed police, sniffer dogs and hundreds of security guards part of a wideranging strategy to keep supporters safe.
The 800 high-definition digital cameras, which have been trialled but never used at such a major event, are capable of capturing images of crowds approaching the stadium from up to 1.5km away.
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The recorded pictures can be matched against a database of banned spectators and known persons of interest. The cameras are also capable of zooming in on any unattended bags.
“This is the first time the cameras have been used at a major sporting event and the New Year’s Sydney Test is the city’s biggest sporting event of the year,’’ an SCG Trust spokesman said yesterday. Elite officers from the counter-terrorism unit, the heavily armed Tactical Operations Unit and specialist police trained to use 50 newly acquired M4 carbine machine guns are on call and can be deployed immediately.
The NSW Air Wing and sniffer dogs will also be used to monitor the huge crowds and surrounding areas for any signs of an attack. More than 200 security guards will be there to supplement the work of police.
The ring of steel that will surround the SCG follows the unprecedented fortress Sydney strategy that was implemented for the Boxing Day sales and New Year’s celebrations across the city.
The increased security measures have been implemented by authorities in the wake of attacks at sporting and music venues across the world. The threat of terrorism is at the forefront of concerns, particularly after the deadly 2015 Islamic State bombings that targeted football fans in Paris at a France v Germany match and other extremist attacks that have struck large groups of innocent people. In May last year 23 people were killed and more than 500 injured when a suicide bomber struck at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester.
Today, for the first time at the SCG, fans carrying clear plastic bags can use a separate queue to get into the ground quicker. Those who insist on using more traditional bags such as backpacks can be asked to empty the contents for inspection.
“It is optional but we want to encourage the use of clear bags and the Trust is the first in Australian sports venues to encourage fans to do this,’’ the SCG Trust spokesman said.
The SCG is following the lead of the US’s NFL, where backpacks and larger bags are banned at all grounds throughout the country.
The facial recognition data was trialled during a recent A-League game and six known troublemakers banned from attending were detected as they approached the ground and barred from entry.
However, neither NSW Police nor the SCG Trust will say how many people have been flagged as potential threats in the database.
The $3.5 million camera system has been installed at both the SCG and neighbouring Allianz Stadium.
NSW counter-terrorism police and the Central Metro Command carried out a risk assessment of the final Ashes Test and have put in place a security plan with the SCG and Centennial Park Trusts.
Buses will not be used to block off roads surrounding the ground for pedestrians as happened during the Australia-Pakistan series last year. Instead authorities are confident concrete barriers will be more effective.
“We want patrons to feel comforted, not confronted by the additional security measures in place,’’ NSW Assistant Commissioner Mark Walton said. “NSW Police Force works closely with the SCG Trust to ensure those attending events at this iconic location can do so in a safe environment.”