Surveillance Cameras Added to Crime Hot Spots

Surveillance Cameras Added to Crime Hot Spots

Massachusetts city works to improve security with surveillance cameras.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Oct 22, 2018

Lawrence, Mass. is adding itself to the long list of cities implementing high-tech "eyes in the sky" to widen their surveillance arsenal. The city worked last week on installing the first of 110 surveillance cameras that will be located at major thoroughfares and high-crime hot spots throughout the city.

Police Chief Roy Vasque said the cameras will be added to areas where there is a high chance for criminal activity such as busy neighborhoods, three bridges connecting north and south Lawrence over the Merrimack River and along major roads "in and out of the city from any direction, so that you won't be able to come and go without hitting a camera somewhere."

Seventy-five cameras are being installed in the first phase of the project, which will be operating within the next month and will cost $200,000 to install and to maintain annually. About 35 more cameras will be added at a later time, another cost of $100,000.

The cameras work to relay live images to monitoring screens at police headquarters, where the images will be recorded and archived for at least 30 days. Some of the cameras will offer a fixed 180-degree view of a site, while others will be able to pan, tilt and zoom.

“There is a huge urgency and there is a huge problem when it comes to not just violence and crime, but drugs in our city,” Councilor Pavel Payano during the council discussion six months ago. “We see these cameras as an opportunity to stem the tide. (But there) is a need for legally enforceable safeguards that promote transparency, oversight and accountability for how these cameras are going to be used.”

Vasque and city lawyers developed a nine-page policy affirming that the cameras "will not be used to invade the privacy of individuals (or) survey the interior of private premises except as could be seen from the outside with a naked eye." The policy also says the cameras may not be pointed into places were people would have "a reasonable expectation of privacy," including inside their homes, but lists a number of exceptions.

"This [the installation of surveillance cameras] is to get bad guys doing bad things," Mayor Daniel Rivera said. "We need to make sure our community is safe."

About the Author

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

Featured

  • Security Industry Association Announces the 2026 Security Megatrends

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has identified and forecasted the 2026 Security Megatrends, which form the basis of SIA’s signature annual Security Megatrends report defining the top 10 factors influencing both near- and long-term change in the global security industry. Read Now

  • The Future of Access Control: Cloud-Based Solutions for Safer Workplaces

    Access controls have revolutionized the way we protect our people, assets and operations. Gone are the days of cumbersome keychains and the security liabilities they introduced, but it’s a mistake to think that their evolution has reached its peak. Read Now

  • A Look at AI

    Large language models (LLMs) have taken the world by storm. Within months of OpenAI launching its AI chatbot, ChatGPT, it amassed more than 100 million users, making it the fastest-growing consumer application in history. Read Now

  • First, Do No Harm: Responsibly Applying Artificial Intelligence

    It was 2022 when early LLMs (Large Language Models) brought the term “AI” into mainstream public consciousness and since then, we’ve seen security corporations and integrators attempt to develop their solutions and sales pitches around the biggest tech boom of the 21st century. However, not all “artificial intelligence” is equally suitable for security applications, and it’s essential for end users to remain vigilant in understanding how their solutions are utilizing AI. Read Now

  • Improve Incident Response With Intelligent Cloud Video Surveillance

    Video surveillance is a vital part of business security, helping institutions protect against everyday threats for increased employee, customer, and student safety. However, many outdated surveillance solutions lack the ability to offer immediate insights into critical incidents. This slows down investigations and limits how effectively teams can respond to situations, creating greater risks for the organization. Read Now

Most   Popular

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.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.