Indiana County Implements Surveillance Camera Program

Indiana County Implements Surveillance Camera Program

Project Guardian is funded by money seized from drug dealers. Schalk believes the program will help deter criminals and prevent illicit activity in the county’s parks.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • Dec 14, 2018

Harrison County in Indiana has added cameras to Hayswood Park in Corydon as part of the county’s Project Guardian program. The goal of the program—and cameras—is to prevent crime and catch those who commit it.

"Not just as a prosecutor but as a dad of three little kids, I understand the importance of having your kids be able to go to the park and not just enjoy their time but be safe with it," Harrison County, Indiana Prosecutor Otto Schalk told Wave 3 News.

According to Schalk, the idea for Project Guardian came about after two girls were murdered in Delphi, Indiana, in Feb. 2017. The police’s best clue in that case is a blurry photo of the man believed to be their killer.

“And certainly the tragedy that happened in Delphi two years ago, you know it really reminded us that there is evil in this world. And it also reminded us that a camera is only useful if it has a high resolution, it can capture with crystal clarity images,” Schalk said.

The cameras used in the program let the county monitor parks using WiFi, monitored by police. The cameras in Hayswood Park are the only ones installed so far, but the county plans to install cameras in all 13 county parks.

“And we do have several remote parks, some of them are small. So the camera systems will let us figure out when we have a problem occurring so we can notify the authorities,” said Larry Shickles, Harrison County Parks Board President.

Video recordings are stored in the cloud and deleted after a month. The footage can help in prosecuting criminals.

“When I have a high definition video of you with a needle in your arm, sitting next to a playground, it certainly makes proving it that much easier,” Schalk said.

Project Guardian is funded by money seized from drug dealers. Schalk believes the program will help deter criminals and prevent illicit activity in the county’s parks.

“It makes our families feel safe, it makes parents feel safe when they’re here with their kids,” Shickles said.

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.

  • 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.

  • 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.