Atlantic City will use $5 million in supplemental aid to put 1,000 state-of-the-art cameras to enhance public safety, reduce crime and increase emergency response, leaders said Wednesday.
Atlantic City is one of the first to use the cameras that utilize artificial intelligence.
"The analytics capabilities on these cameras are far and above the rest,” Atlantic City Information Technology Director Patrick Quinlan said. “For the height in which they are mounted, they have the capability to pull in images as if they were right in front of you. This citywide camera program will make Atlantic City one of the safest cities in all of New Jersey.”
The cameras will be in more than 200 locations throughout the city with the ability for 360-degree monitoring views and up to 40x optical zoom, with pan-tilt-zoom capabilities. They can differentiate between objects, clothing, hair colors and directions.
“This is yet another effort to make the great city of Atlantic City a cleaner and safer city,” Mayor Marty Small said. “Projects like this have always been talked about, and now it is finally getting done under the Small administration. This gives the Atlantic City Police Department — the best police department in the world — more eyes on the streets as we look to improve public safety, especially in our neighborhoods.”
The cameras are expected to be instrumental in real-time response and provide officers with valuable information, including evidence collection.
They will be visible as a deterrent to crime.
Police also will be able to quickly identify and assess emergencies to allow first responders to act more quickly.
The Office of Emergency Management will also have extra help monitoring traffic flow during large-scale events and monitor flooding during major storms.
“This investment will double down on our ability to hold those who are committing offenses accountable, make Atlantic City safer, and make our department one of the most technologically advanced in our region,” Police Chief James Sarkos said. “The Atlantic City Police Department is a strong believer that technology acts as a force multiplier. We leverage it in our day-to-day operations, and it has totally transformed the way we do things.”
Atlantic City Electric is a partner in the project.
JCT Solution is installing the infrastructure for the fiber optic networks. The cameras are expected to be fully installed within the next 18 months.
