Newark Police Roll Out Fleet Of Giraffe-Like Spy Cameras

NEWARK, NJ — Newark police are now using a fleet of giraffe-like surveillance cameras to monitor alleged crime “hotspots” in the city, authorities announced Tuesday.

The five new cameras – which sit atop towers that reach several stories high – are being deployed throughout the city as part of a plan to capture and deter crime in “problematic areas” such as shooting locations or drug hotspots, according to the Newark Department of Public Safety.

Newark police said that the cameras will also act as a “deterrent” because people in the area will know they’re being recorded.

The camera systems, made by Packetalk, can be accessed and monitored 24 hours a day through city-issued mobile devices, smart phones, computers, laptops and iPads. Specialized units, such as the Special Investigations Division, the Major Crimes Shooting Protocol Response Team, the Robbery Unit and the Special Victims Unit, will also have access to the cameras’ recordings, the Newark Department of Public Safety stated.

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“With the purchase of these surveillance systems, we have another invaluable tool to assist in our crime reduction strategies,” Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said. “In conjunction with technology that Newark currently uses, the cameras will play a vital role in making our city a safer place to work and live.”

Mayor Ras Baraka supported the use of the new police technology.

“We have reduced crime in Newark to the lowest level in 50 years using several strategies,” Baraka said. “One is encouraging residents to collaborate with our police. Another is introducing state of the art law enforcement technology. Enabling residents to monitor crime spots with their smartphones and computers is a creative use of both strategies and a step forward in our collective work to make Newark safer.”

• See related article: Newark's Overall Crime Rate Drops In 2016; 93 Murders Recorded
• See related article: Newark Crime Stats: How Many Murders, Rapes, Robberies?

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Photos: Newark Department of Public Safety