Public records reveal serious security flaw in private surveillance network’s coordination with police
Through public records requests filed with the New Orleans Police Department, I discovered a significant security vulnerability in how Project NOLA coordinates with NOPD. Email correspondence between NOPD and Project NOLA revealed 44 Google Drive folders containing surveillance videos—all shared with public access settings that allow anyone with the link to view and download the footage.
What Was Exposed
The 44 folders contain varying numbers of surveillance videos, most holding at least several clips of public footage depicting crimes. These videos, captured by Project NOLA’s network of over 5,000 cameras, were shared directly with NOPD through Google Drive links embedded in email correspondence.
The critical flaw: these links were configured with “anyone with the link” permissions, meaning they are not restricted to NOPD personnel. Anyone who obtains these links—through a public records request, accidental forwarding, or other means—can access, view, and download the surveillance footage.
Why This Matters
This security failure raises several serious concerns:
Privacy risks: Individuals depicted in these crime videos had no expectation that footage of them would be publicly accessible to anyone on the internet. While the cameras may be positioned in public spaces, unrestricted distribution of this footage compounds privacy violations.
Investigative integrity: Public access to surveillance footage related to ongoing or past investigations could compromise prosecutions, expose investigative techniques, or allow suspects to review evidence that should remain confidential.
Data security standards: If a private surveillance contractor working closely with law enforcement cannot implement basic access controls on sensitive video evidence, what other security failures exist in this partnership?
Accountability gap: Project NOLA, founded by former NOPD officer Bryan Lagarde, operates as a private entity with minimal public oversight. This incident demonstrates the risks of outsourcing surveillance infrastructure to private companies that may lack proper security protocols.
The Broader Context
This discovery comes amid ongoing concerns about Project NOLA’s facial recognition capabilities and NOPD’s compliance with New Orleans’ facial recognition ban. The city’s surveillance ordinance was designed to protect residents from mass surveillance and facial recognition abuses, yet NOPD’s partnership with this private network continues to raise questions about oversight and accountability.
The insecure Google Drive shares represent just one example of how this partnership operates outside public view—until public records requests pull back the curtain.
What You Can Do
New Orleans residents and privacy advocates should demand accountability:
Contact the New Orleans City Council: Ask council members to investigate this security failure and enforce proper data handling requirements for any surveillance partnerships.
Email Mayor Helena Moreno: Demand that the mayor’s office require comprehensive security audits of Project NOLA’s operations and implement strict data protection standards for all surveillance partnerships.
File public records requests: Transparency is essential. Request documentation about NOPD’s data sharing agreements with Project NOLA and other surveillance vendors.
Support surveillance oversight: Advocate for stronger enforcement of New Orleans’ surveillance ordinances and meaningful independent oversight of police surveillance technology.
Contact New Orleans Leaders
The surveillance infrastructure operating in our city affects every resident. When that infrastructure is managed with such basic security failures, we all deserve answers—and accountability.
New Orleans City Council: council@nola.gov
Mayor Helena Moreno: mayor@nola.gov
Disclosure: The surveillance videos referenced in this article were obtained legally through public records requests filed with the New Orleans Police Department. The existence of publicly-accessible Google Drive links was discovered through examination of email correspondence provided in response to those requests.
