What will be the consequences for policing as cities
become increasingly ‘smarter’? The emerging
questions about policing and the smart city have
thus far focused primarily on the increased
surveillance capacity that a highly networked urban
setting provides for law enforcement. More cameras
and sensors will mean more watching and less freedom
from being watched. The perception of ubiquitous
government surveillance might quell dissent and
inhibit free expression. As a result, concerns about
policing and the smart city echo other responses to
surveillance technologies. This essay proposes a
different analysis: as cities become ‘smarter’, they
increasingly embed policing itself into the urban
infrastructure. Policing is inherent to the smart
city.