By: Follow South Jersey Staff
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. — The City of Atlantic City is partnering with Atlantic City Electric to install1,000 “state-of-the-art” camera lenses in over 200 locations throughout Atlantic City, with a focus on city neighborhoods, city officials announced on Wednesday, Nov. 1.
The $5-million project is being funded from supplemental aid in the 2023 State of New Jersey budget, adding zero cost to the taxpayers of the city.
“This is yet another effort to make the Great City of Atlantic City a cleaner and safer city,” City of Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr. said in a press release from the city. “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 project will aid law enforcement by using Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities. According to the city, the goals of the new cameras are to
1. Enhance Public Safety – AI cameras will be instrumental in real time response and provide officers with valuable information.
2. Reduce Crime – The cameras will be visible to the public eye, acting as a deterrent to criminal activities.
3. Increase Emergency Response – Police will be able to quickly identify and assess emergencies to allow First Responders to act swiftly and effectively.
4. Improve Investigations – Data collected from the cameras will give Law Enforcement crucial evidence to help solve crimes and bring perpetrators to justice.
5. Increase Situational Awareness – The Atlantic City Office of Emergency Management will 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,” ACPD Chief of Police James Sarkos stated in the press release. “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.”
Each camera has four fixed lenses that allow 360-degree monitoring and up to 40x optical zoom, with Pan-Tilt-Zoom capabilities. The cameras can differentiate between objects, clothing and hair colors, and directions, according to the city.
“The cameras we selected for this project are new to the game, Atlantic City is one of the first to use them,” City of Atlantic City Information Technology Director Patrick Quinlan stated. “The analytics capabilities on these cameras are far and above the rest. 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 contractor, JCT Solutions, is currently installing the infrastructure for the fiber optic networks. The cameras are expected to be installed within the next 18 months.
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