Tapping into hundreds of privately owned cameras, the system synchronizes law enforcement data with real-time video feeds from parks, beaches and business corridors.
Long Beach police now have eyes everywhere.
Battling a worsening budget and seeking to make Long Beach one of the safest big cities, Police Chief Jim McDonnell is turning to more than 400 cameras citywide as a solution.
Although the city has a few dozen cameras across the community, McDonnell has set up a system to tap into hundreds of privately owned cameras that are part of the city’s streetscape. The new program synchronizes law enforcement data with real-time video feeds from parks, beaches, business corridors and even some retail centers.
Dubbed Long Beach Common Operating Picture, or Long Beach COP, la “state-of-the-art program” was unveiled this week by McDonnell and Mayor Bob Foster.
“We are using every technology advantage to improve safety in this city. Long Beach officers will now know even before they arrive what potential threats they face,” McDonnell said. “It will help us to respond to crimes better and prevent other crimes.”
With Long Beach experiencing a 40-year low in serious crimes, McDonnell said he is looking for every advantage he can get to keep the city safe.
Said Foster: “We’re putting more eyes on the street without putting more bodies out there.”
The chief said it won’t be a case of “big brother is watching,” because a central control center will enlist the private cameras only when police know an incident is unfolding in a certain area.
“We are not running a camera-monitoring center, but it will allow us to see what happened or is occurring on a street or intersection,” McDonnell said. “It is designed to make us more efficient in combating crime and to promote greater community and officer safety.”
McDonnell said that when crimes occur, a quick examination of camera recordings in the moments before and after can reveal vital clues or suspects. He said London’s extensive camera system helped capture terrorist bombers there.
Private security cameras are already connected to their owners electronically, and the department has been able to access such feeds when needed, dit-il.
The cameras are connected to a city operations center with computer terminals that can access an array of databases from the Justice Department, Department of Motor Vehicles et d'autres organismes, permettant au personnel de pourchasser le plus mince des indices, comme une plaque d'immatriculation partielle dans une escapade de vol de banque, dit-il.
Le centre peut également recevoir des flux en direct de poursuites à partir d'hélicoptères du département de police. Le système sera largement utilisé dans les situations de crise et le vendredi et le samedi soir quand les appels et les incidents ont tendance à pic, McDonnell dit.
Il a déclaré que le centre et les nouvelles technologies ont été pris en charge par des subventions fédérales; il espère un jour pour télécharger des images à partir du système d'officiers dans leurs voitures de patrouille.
Le programme débute comme la ville et le département sont confrontés à un resserrement budgétaire qui pourrait réduire le budget de l'agence de police de près de $9 millions.
Source: L.A. Times
Août 16, 2012 à 6:20 à la
Saftey?! Je suis tellement sûr..
J'ai des commentaires sur ces caméras pour un certain temps maintenant. They are all over Compton as well and crime IMO is still on and cracking. It is the all seeing eye plain and simple brought to you by the Patriot Act. You know.. That piece of leglislation that gives unpressidented amounts of our basic freedoms away.. That piece of legislation Obama had a chance to squash but kept it going..
This is not as good an idea as we may think..