Cleveland to Boost Security with LED Lights, Surveillance Cameras

Cleveland to Boost Security with LED Lights, Surveillance Cameras

The citywide effort, dubbed Safe Smart CLE Initiative, will enable police to brighten lights in trouble spots and monitor camera-covered areas in real time.

The city of Cleveland is planning to implement thousands of high-tech lights equipped with security cameras in a program aimed at making neighborhoods safer. The Safe Smart CLE Initiative will give police officers a way to brighten lights in troubled areas of the city while also monitoring camera-covered areas in real time.

Mayor Frank Jackson said the initiative would cost millions of dollars, but that it was well worth the money in order to raise the quality of life in the city. Jackson's administration sent legislation to City Council that would allow the city to sell bonds to raise money for the project. The Council is expected to introduce the legislation today.

The city intends to convert its 61,000 street lights to an LED system that can be controlled via remote control and will alert the city when a light fails. The LED lights will provide more illumination than the conventional street lights, improving visibility and clarity.

Interactive technology built into the lights will allow Cleveland Public Power to closely monitor the system. Alerts from the system, such as when a light goes out, will allow for more efficient maintenance. The lights are expected to last up to 20 times longer than the current lights and LED lights use less electricity as well.

The camera systems will be posted on the same light poles, all of which are owned by the city, although not every light pole will have a camera. Some light posts, such as those at intersections, will have multiple cameras positioned to look up each street in the intersection. The cameras will feed video images directly to the police Emergency Operations Center and to the district police headquarters.

The cameras are expected to be installed in several phases, focusing on the city's parks and recreation centers, major intersections and hot spots for crime. The cameras will provide surveillance at public-gathering spots and along major streets.

The city believes the better lighting will allow for better monitoring and with high-tech cameras covering high-traffic areas and hot spots, police will be able to more quickly respond to trouble.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • 2025 Security LeadHER Conference Program Announced

    ASIS International and the Security Industry Association (SIA) – the leading membership associations for the security industry – have announced details for the 2025 Security LeadHER conference, a special event dedicated to advancing, connecting and empowering women in the security profession. The third annual Security LeadHER conference will be held Monday, June 9 – Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan. This carefully crafted program represents a comprehensive professional development opportunity for women in security this year. To view the full lineup at this year’s event, please visit securityleadher.org. Read Now

    • Industry Events
  • Report: 82 Percent of Phishing Emails Used AI

    KnowBe4, the world-renowned cybersecurity platform that comprehensively addresses human risk management, today launched its Phishing Threat Trend Report, detailing key trends, new data, and threat intelligence insights surrounding phishing threats targeting organizations at the start of 2025. Read Now

  • NRF Supports Federal Bill to Thwart Retail Crime

    The National Retail Federation recently announced its support for the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2025. The act was introduced by Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Representative Dave Joyce, R-Ohio. Read Now

  • ISC West 2025 Brings Almost 29,000 Industry Professionals to Las Vegas

    ISC West 2025, organized by RX and in collaboration with the Security Industry Association, concluded at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas last week. The nation’s leading comprehensive and converged security event attracted nearly 29,000 industry professionals and left a lasting impression on the global security community. Over five action-packed days, ISC West welcomed more than 19,000 attendees and featured 750 exhibiting brands. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Tradeshow Work Can Be Fun

    While at ISC West last week, I ran into numerous friends and associates all of which was a pleasant experience. The first question always seemed to be, “How many does this make for you?” Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction.

  • ComNet CNGE6FX2TX4PoE

    The ComNet cost-efficient CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is a six-port switch that offers four Gbps TX ports that support the IEEE802.3at standard and provide up to 30 watts of PoE to PDs. It also has a dedicated FX/TX combination port as well as a single FX SFP to act as an additional port or an uplink port, giving the user additional options in managing network traffic. The CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is designed for use in unconditioned environments and typically used in perimeter surveillance.