South Jersey Police Turn to Surveillance Equipment to Combat Crime

Camden Police began using video surveillance to track drug deals in 2012, and that technology has been expanded to municipalities throughout southern New Jersey.

Atlantic City, Riverside and Burlington City are investing in the same equipment used by Camden to monitor drug deals, the Courier Post reports.

In Riverside, it led to the break-up of the Sex Money Murder gang, according to the report.

Cameras in each city have been provided by PackeTalk, a company that provides IP based, wireless infrastructures, intelligent relay systems, newly developed high resolution cameras and fail safe transmission systems to cities to combat crime.

PackeTalk has installed cameras in 75 cities across New Jersey.

Camden’s initial $4.5 million investment drew national attention from Rolling Stone, The Atlantic and Business Insider.

Authorities have stated the cameras, which are set up quietly on street poles in each of the cities in which it has a presence, are only used to monitor persons of interest, and are never directed toward a person’s window.

Camden Police Chief Scott Thomson told the Courier Post the cameras have helped the City, and he expects to see more use of the cameras by police departments in the future.

The attached image is a Patch file photo.