The Memphis Police Department’s crime-fighting capabilities just got a $1.9 million boost from the federal government, designated for the department’s surveillance technology and officer safety equipment, officials announced. According to FOX13 Memphis, the investment aims to strengthen the department’s arsenal in the fight against crime in the city.
Interim Police Chief C.J. Davis shared that the fund will split equally: half to upgrade crime surveillance tools and the remainder will bolster equipment for officers. “We don’t have enough manpower, so when you don’t have enough human resources, technology can be a force multiplier. So we are looking forward to more advanced technology,” Davis told FOX13 Memphis.
Further emphasising the importance of surveillance for local businesses, Jerry Luellen, co-founder of Memphis restaurant Smackers, extolled the Skycop cameras to be crucial for ensuring a safe environment for customers. “I think it’s a very important part of people continuing to come out and support and feel safe enough to bring their families out,” he said in an interview with Local Memphis.
Alongside the general surveillance upgrades, part of the grant will fund the MPD’s Sentinel Surveillance Cameras Project with $963,000 to focus on fighting auto theft and other high-priority crimes, as informed by Police Mag. Regarding the officer safety aspect, another $963,000 is set to improve officers’ protective equipment to ultimately fortify their ability to respond to crises while minimising risks to their life.
Chief Davis also anticipates the integration of the surveillance cameras into their 911 emergency response system, stating, “So if a call came up here in this building, the closest five or six cameras in this area would automatically show in the Real Time Crime Center,” as mentioned in a Local Memphis report. Davis shared an anecdote from a community meeting that substantiates the preventive power of visible surveillance, stating the introduction of a Skycop camera in one neighbourhood significantly reduced loitering and drug sales.
While the specific number of new cameras has not been disclosed, they are expected to enhance MPD’s camera network and will be deployed in neighbourhoods with high rates of crime within the coming month, Davis concluded.
