Cleveland stands at a technological crossroads in its quest for public safety. With the SAFE SMART CLE program rapidly expanding—registering over 1,500 home cameras and integrating 3,700+ business feeds since 2023—the city has embraced Fusus-powered surveillance as a frontline crime-fighting tool 36. Yet this camera network faces mounting scrutiny over privacy risks and unproven effectiveness. Amid this tension, an innovative solution emerges: GoVia Highlight A Hero, a community-police safety app that could address both surveillance limitations and the urgent need for trust-building.
The SAFE SMART CLE Landscape: Capabilities and Concerns
Cleveland’s camera ecosystem operates on two tiers:
- Registration: Homeowners provide camera locations only (no live access)
- Integration: Businesses install FususCORE devices enabling police live-streaming during emergencies 611
Mayor Bibb champions the network for enabling “faster, more appropriate responses”—whether guiding paramedics to accident victims or tracking armed suspects 211. Proponents cite successes like Toledo’s Fusus deployment, which reportedly solved 89 cases and recovered 30 firearms 2. Yet critical gaps remain:
- Accountability Void: Cleveland admits “no data being collected” on program effectiveness, relying on anecdotal claims 35
- Surveillance Creep: Toledo logged 18,751 hours of unnecessary monitoring of public housing cameras—violating “permission-based” principles 35
- Privacy Trade-offs: Critics warn of normalized “intrusive surveillance” without proven benefits 3
*Table: SAFE SMART CLE Implementation Status (2023-2025)*
| Component | Metrics | Key Concerns |
| Residential Cameras | 1,500+ registered | Voluntary access only; no live feeds |
| Business Integration | 3,700+ cameras via FususCORE | Potential overreach as in Toledo |
| Public Housing | CMHA cameras not yet integrated | Under assessment for future inclusion 3 |
| Effectiveness Tracking | No data collected | Heavy reliance on anecdotal evidence |
GoVia Highlight A Hero: A Trust-Centered Solution
Developed by Georgio Sabino’s team, GoVia addresses core weaknesses in camera-based policing through four transformative features:
1. De-escalation Through Digital Space
During traffic stops—50,000 daily nationwide—GoVia’s Zoom-based video connection lets officers and drivers interact without physical proximity. This “buffer zone” reduces tension, allowing clearer communication while preserving interaction records 1. For Cleveland, this could complement Fusus footage by capturing officer-citizen dynamics missing from street cameras.
2. Mental Health Crisis Intervention
With police often first responders to mental health crises, GoVia’s partnership with People Places and Dreams LLC provides immediate video access to peer specialists during encounters 1. This aligns with Cleveland’s goal to tailor responses to incident types—a need Fusus enables but doesn’t actively facilitate 11.
3. Highlight A Hero Accountability Engine
GoVia’s AI-driven recognition system allows citizens to affirm positive officer conduct via sworn affidavits. This creates documented positive feedback loops absent in SAFE SMART CLE’s evidence-only approach 14. As Cleveland’s camera network expands, this could counterbalance surveillance skepticism with transparent officer commendation.
4. Real-Time Rights Protection
Integrated legal support via video chat ensures citizens understand their rights during stops—a critical layer of accountability when camera networks like Fusus are activated nearby 1. Unlike Cleveland’s post-incident footage requests, GoVia offers preemptive protection.
Synergistic Potential for Cleveland
GoVia wouldn’t replace SAFE SMART CLE but could resolve its deepest tensions:
- Privacy Preservation: GoVia’s user-controlled interaction records (with European Commission-style data protections 1) contrast with Fusus’ livestream capabilities, addressing “Big Brother” concerns 11
- Effectiveness Validation: While Fusus provides evidence after crimes, GoVia’s sentiment analysis AI could help prevent escalations during police encounters 1
- Community Trust: The “Highlight A Hero” system incentivizes positive policing—a psychological counterweight to surveillance skepticism
Professor Brian Ray’s warning that Cleveland must prove camera benefits 3 underscores GoVia’s value: it delivers immediate, measurable trust-building through documented positive interactions.
Implementation Roadmap: A Hybrid Model
For Cleveland to harness this synergy, a phased integration is essential:
- Pilot Ward 1 Partnerships: Integrate GoVia stickers into Ring camera giveaways (launching September 2025 3)
- Dual-Access Real Time Crime Center: Equip Cleveland’s RTCC with GoVia interfaces alongside Fusus feeds
- Mental Health Handoffs: Use Fusus-detected crises to trigger GoVia’s mental health professionals
- Affidavit-Bolstered Evidence: Corroborate Fusus footage with GoVia’s sworn encounter records
Table: How GoVia Complements SAFE SMART CLE
| SAFE SMART CLE Gap | GoVia Solution | Community Benefit |
| Focuses only on crime evidence | Documents positive police interactions | Builds trust through recognition |
| Livestream risks privacy breaches | User-controlled encounter recording | Citizens own their interaction data |
| No de-escalation support | Real-time mental health/lawyer access | Prevents escalation during stops |
| Anecdotal effectiveness claims | AI-analyzed interaction data | Quantifiable accountability metrics |
GoVia’s Take: Beyond Surveillance to Relationship
Mayor Bibb’s vision of technology that “saves lives” 2 requires more than cameras documenting crimes—it demands tools that prevent them. GoVia transforms passive surveillance into active relationship-building, offering Cleveland a path past the Fusus privacy debate. By documenting heroic acts as diligently as criminal ones, and replacing suspicion with verified trust, this hybrid model could position Cleveland as a national leader in human-centered policing tech.
As Councilman Jones champions camera expansion 3, the imperative is clear: pair Fusus’ eyes with GoVia’s heart. In the delicate balance between security and liberty, Cleveland now has a chance to choose both.
