Detroit Looking to Boost Surveillance Infrastructure

Detroit Looking to Boost Surveillance Infrastructure

Detroit is pumping millions of dollars into its surveillance networks, hoping to cut down on crime in the city.

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Mar 20, 2019

The City of Detroit will soon be working on an expansion of their surveillance network with the addition of millions of dollars worth of security cameras, viewing stations and programs to cut down on crime. 

 The plan, which was unveiled by Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, would link 500 traffic cameras to the Project Green Light system—a major ramp up for the 3-year-old program—as well as allow $3 million in bonds to be spent to set up a first round of roadside cameras and two additional mini Real Time Crime Centers, a location where the footage can be viewed by those authorized. 

An additional $9 million in federal and state transportation funds will go toward putting 400 streaming cameras at intersections throughout the city. The cameras are designed to monitor traffic trends, but police will be allowed to pull footage if needed in a case.

Duggan hopes that the expansion plans will help in reducing crime and helping Detroit police catch suspects.

"If you're engaged in a shoot, you're engaged in a carjacking, we're going to track you," Duggan said. "We will get shots of the perps as they go pass and we'll be able to chase them down. We're going to make people make different decisions."

Many residents of Detroit wonder if the expansion plan for surveillance cameras makes a difference in the crime rate for the city. City officials and Detroit police can point to at least three specific occasions in the last year where green light cameras were able to capture high-definition footage of suspects in an open case.

When asked about the frequency of these particular events, Detroit Police Chief James Craig could only say it was "definitely not in the hundreds."

The city will be putting together a proposal to limit those who can access the footage and how long it will be stored for. The city said that so far, only the Detroit Police Department is using it, and Project Green Light's memorandum of understanding with its business partners suggests the footage is only stored for 30 days.

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

  • A8V MIND

    A8V MIND

    Hexagon’s Geosystems presents a portable version of its Accur8vision detection system. A rugged all-in-one solution, the A8V MIND (Mobile Intrusion Detection) is designed to provide flexible protection of critical outdoor infrastructure and objects. Hexagon’s Accur8vision is a volumetric detection system that employs LiDAR technology to safeguard entire areas. Whenever it detects movement in a specified zone, it automatically differentiates a threat from a nonthreat, and immediately notifies security staff if necessary. Person detection is carried out within a radius of 80 meters from this device. Connected remotely via a portable computer device, it enables remote surveillance and does not depend on security staff patrolling the area.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”