50 new information screens coming to downtown St. Louis sidewalks

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - A network of 6-foot tall information screens, looking a bit like giant cell phones, are popping up around St. Louis, mounted to the sidewalks. 

The screens let people search for rides, restaurants, hotels and other attractions. But they also are armed with cameras, feeding pictures to the police real-time crime center. 

It gives directions, it feeds camera images to the real time crime center, and it looks like a giant cell phone. pic.twitter.com/nVRp1cSiiK

— Kevin Killeen (@KMOXKilleen) January 22, 2020

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson's office says none of the data is being saved. 

"They do contain security cameras, but we see that as an enhancement of public safety. It's armed with a couple of cameras that feed into our real-time crime center," says Jacob Long, Mayor Krewson's spokesman

Eight of the screens are now up and running, with seven in the downtown area and one is across the street from Crown Candy restaurant in Old North St. Louis. 

Eventually, they plan to put up 50 of them, paid for through advertising with no costs to taxpayers.

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