New Jersey City Deploys New Video Surveillance System in Police Department

New Jersey City Deploys New Video Surveillance System in Police Department

"Without the cameras, it presents a danger to officers who can't monitor the prisoners without direct contact,” said Lt. Alan Fiorilla in a report to City Manager Nick Villano. "This leaves the officers vulnerable."

  • By Jessica Davis
  • Oct 18, 2018

The City Council of Clifton, N.J., approved Tuesday a $66,000 emergency appropriation for new video surveillance in its prisoner cells after the video system stopped working. Police officials said that the lack of functional cameras put officers, detainees and the city at risk.

The Clifton Police Department has 10 prisoner cells (eight for men, two for women) and two holding cells, which can be efficiently monitored by an officer if the video surveillance is working. When the system is not functional, detainees have to be monitored by multiple officers, because the cells are in different locations.

According to Detective Lt. Robert Bracken, New Jersey’s bail reform measures have resulted in fewer reasons to detail prisoners, but there are still times where the department has multiple arrests and may require more officers for detainee monitoring.

"Without the cameras, it presents a danger to officers who can't monitor the prisoners without direct contact,” said Lt. Alan Fiorilla in a report to City Manager Nick Villano. "This leaves the officers vulnerable."

Officials added that without appropriate video surveillance, the city could be held liable if a prisoner were to harm themselves while confined.

Fourteen cameras will be installed in the cell blocks, and Villano said he expects the work to be completed “fairly quickly”.

When the video surveillance system ceased functioning, it had already been slated for replacement, Villano said. The city had budgeted $250,000 to overhaul the video surveillance system throughout City Hall, its grounds and the police department.

“This happened while we were shopping,” Villano said.

The city also plans to add surveillance to a number of parks to increase security and reduce vandalism.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • 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

  • Security Today Announces 2025 CyberSecured Award Winners

    Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 CyberSecured Awards winners. Sixteen companies are being recognized this year for their network products and other cybersecurity initiatives that secure our world today. Read Now

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • 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

Most   Popular

New Products

  • 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.

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • 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.