When Mayor Byron Brown took office in 2006, he pledged the people of Buffalo, N.Y. to reduce the city’s crime rate. A key part of his plan was to deploy a real-time, city-wide video surveillance system to augment the public safety efforts of his police force. The solution he sought needed high-resolution cameras that could read license plates from 200 yards away and provide officers with evidence-grade, real-time streaming video. Since the cameras would be mounted outdoors, they also needed to be wind and weather-proof and perform well even in low lighting situations. Another important criterion was the flexibility to add and move cameras at will to monitor changing high-risk areas.
     
Avrio Group, a network video surveillance integrator in Easton, Md., set up a wireless network of 56 Rapid Deployment Surveillance Solution (RDSS) PoleCams mounted on utility poles throughout the city. The visible portable units – with blue lights and police branding – house AXIS 233Z pan/tilt/zoom network cameras and Firetide wireless mesh nodes in weatherized enclosures. Operators control the cameras remotely from Police headquarters, allowing police officers to assess the situation and make preparations before approaching an area.
     
The surveillance system helped police make their first five arrests while installation of the video network was still in progress. Suspects were caught on camera burglarizing a convenience store just 10 hours after a law enforcement camera mounted nearby went live. “The response to this system has been positive from day one because citizens have seen an immediate impact from it,” said Mayor Brown. He reported that the city has already numerous calls from Buffalo citizens requesting cameras on their street corners. Brown added that with additional funding from the State of New York’s Efficiency Grant, the city will continue adding cameras to the network.