Chicago’s 176-mile fiber network connects police stations with 22,000 cameras used daily to support police missions and 911 operators.
Operators who answer 911 calls in Chicago have an unusual – perhaps unique – capability. When a call comes in, an operator can view live video from the police camera closest to where the call originated. An interactive map shows camera locations, and the operator can click on the appropriate camera to bring up video and gain control of the camera.
Operators have used this capability to observe burglary, battery and narcotics-related crimes in progress and have been able to get descriptions of suspects, identify the total number of individuals involved or get information about victims. If a caller has captured smartphone video related to the call, the operator can send the caller a special SMS message to which the caller can reply, sending the video to the operator… Please click here to read John Engebretson’s full story in Broadband Communities Magazine.