Mayor Bloomberg plans to visit London this week to observe its security camera network. In spite of budget woes here in New York, Bloomberg wants to spend $200 million on a similar network for Lower Manhattan, and eventually one in Midtown. WNYC's Bob Hennelly has more.

REPORTER: The so-called "ring of steel" is really a state-of-the-art cyber video and data collection network. The Lower Manhattan phase calls for 3,000 "smart" cameras with software to prompt police with an alarm when a suspicious package has been left at a strategic location. 400 of the cameras are currently in place. Both mobile and fixed license plate readers along with radiation detection monitors will be integrated into the network. There's also a plan for mechanized street barriers that can be engaged remotely to control access to streets. Civil liberties groups have expressed concern about what becomes of the real time data that documents the public's movements.

For WNYC, I'm Bob Hennelly.