New technology helps reduce crime rates in Camden
CAMDEN, N.J. (WPVI) -- Crime rates have dropped in Camden and officials say a big change in the force and a new surveillance camera system have both helped in that.
It was about a year ago when the City of Camden disbanded its police force, in favor of using a county-wide department.
Local officials say so far so good. Both violent and non-violent crime fell nearly 30 percent during the first three months of 2014.
That statistic is as compared to the same time period last year, when the Camden City Police Department was still in operation.
Camden County Assistant Police Chief Orlando Cuevas says the difference has been the use of innovative law-enforcement technologies from robotic cameras, to license plate scanners, to gun-shot detectors.
It's all linked to GPS trackers in police squad cars.
"That automatically locates the closest car to the scene of the crime and immediately dispatches that vehicle to the crime. As you'll see that will cut down response time significantly," said Chief Cuevas.
However Chief Cuevas says the component that brings this law-enforcement effort to the next level is the Interactive Community Alert Network, also known as iCan.
The iCan system actually brings the community into the crime-fighting process by giving them access to the very equipment being used by law-enforcement through home computers or smart-phones.
"You'll be given a view to cameras located within your neighborhood. It allows residents to report anything that's effecting public safety in their area," said Chief Cuevas.
You have the option of remaining anonymous throughout the entire process.
Action News spoke with a few people who live in the city, some of whom say the jury is still out on the new county-wide police force.
"The only thing that really stopped the crime was when they were out here on foot patrol, their presence was very heavy and that calmed things down a lot. They left about a month and go and everything picked back up immediately," said Carla Medina.
However others, like Bryan Morton, say he has been urging his entire neighborhood to log on to the iCan System.
"No matter where you are or who you are, you can give the information that can ultimately turn this city around to becoming safe," said Morton.
For more information or to join the iCan system, visit CamdenCountyPD.org or iCan System.
