Chicago Authorities Install 20 Cameras Along So-Called ‘Heroin Highway’

Chicago Authorities Install 20 Cameras Along So-Called ‘Heroin Highway’

In an attempt to crack down on drug traffic on the Eisenhower Expressway, authorities installed 20 new surveillance cameras.

  • By Kaitlyn DeHaven
  • Jun 10, 2019

Chicago authorities have installed 20 new surveillance cameras along seven miles of the Eisenhower Expressway, which is sometimes called “Heroin Highway”, on Chicago’s West Side. The cameras were installed in order to cut down on the high amount of drug traffic that comes through the area.

The cameras have license plate readers that will be used to target people who are wanted for crimes primarily related to drug activity and related violence. Chicago police Superintendent Eddie Johnson told the Chicago Tribune that the readers will not be used to target speeding vehicles.

“To be perfectly honest, you look at this traffic out here today, I’m not sure that speeding is really an option on the Eisenhower,” Johnson said.

The Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (Chicago HIDTA) is an organization that tackles drug-related issues and seeks avenues for treatment and prevention. All of the cameras along the Eisenhower Expressway are funded by the organization and will be operated by the Office of Emergency Management and Communications.

Johnson said at a news conference on Friday that the cameras will help with narcotics-related prosecution.

“Video provided by these cameras will have the potential to aid in the prosecution of criminals,” Johnson said. “Few things are quite as convincing to a jury as video footage of a crime.”

Nick Roti, head of Chicago HIDTA, told the Chicago Tribune that cameras seem to diminish drug traffic in the areas they are located, and it would be beneficial to add these along other Chicago expressways.

“We’re not using these as like an overall kind of ‘Big Brother.’ We’re going to pick out individual cars on the expressway,” Roti said. “They’ll probably primarily be used during investigations to actually prove that someone went down on the highway as part of a drug investigation. And then obviously, the very important part of it is also the shootings … that go along with it.”

About the Author

Kaitlyn DeHaven is the Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

  • Achieving Clear Audio

    In today’s ever-changing world of security and risk management, effective communication via an intercom and door entry communication system is a critical communication tool to keep a facility’s staff, visitors and vendors safe. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • 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.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.