LVT Units can help police departments, cities, and communities deter crime and increase community safety
From “Dragnet” to every spinoff of “Law & Order,” Hollywood’s finest have spent decades showing us how detectives pound the pavement searching for clues. But in 2025, the real stars of crime-fighting aren’t wearing badges—they’re wearing weatherproof housing and running on solar power.
Because criminals aren’t exactly sticking to the script these days.
While most primetime, streaming, and podcast detectives begin their investigations by canvassing neighborhoods, many real-world police departments increasingly turn to video evidence first. The challenge? Having enough eyes on the ground when budgets are tight and officers are stretched thin.
According to the Police Executive Research Forum’s 2024 workforce survey, departments nationwide face an average 15% staffing shortage, with some reporting gaps as high as 25%. That’s where technology steps in to fill the void.
That’s why mobile surveillance cameras like those offered by LiveView Technologies help change the narrative. The solar-powered, wireless cameras don’t need a badge, benefits package, or retirement plan—yet they provide visibility exactly when and where it’s needed, especially when timing is critical.
When 50,000-plus people descend on your city for a summer festival or holiday celebration, traditional policing methods can fall short and tax officers. Between managing crowd control, monitoring entry points, and maintaining situational awareness across sprawling venues, even a fully-staffed police force faces an uphill battle.
Many law enforcement departments across the country depend on strategically positioned mobile surveillance cameras throughout event grounds to allow more eyes across multiple areas, assist with crowd monitoring, and warn off would-be bad actors.
The South Bend Police Department experienced this firsthand when they deployed an LVT unit during their city’s Fusion Fest in 2024. After discovering the benefits on the ground, the city deployed an LVT® Unit for its patrol. The investment is paying off—the department reported a 21% decrease in part one crimes from February 2024 to February 2025. Security footage connects to the department’s real-time crime center where crime analysts can monitor the feed, Assistant Chief and Chief of Operations Dan Skibins previously told The South Bend Tribune.
In rural communities, police response times can stretch upward of an hour, which means having immediate eyes on a situation can make all the difference. When Utah County Emergency Management needed back up to cover the 2,144-square-mile area of Utah County, LVT Units filled critical video monitoring gaps across 29 cities, providing 24/7 surveillance and rapid deployment capabilities.
“LVT fills the monitoring gap that we had for significantly less than 24/7 human surveillance,” Utah County Emergency Manager Lieutenant Peter Quittner said.
Like a modern-day panopticon, the mere presence of surveillance can change behavior. And when it comes to LVT Units, the results speak volumes.
The visible presence of LVT Units delivers an immediate effect on security measures.
Officials at the Arcadia Police Department in California saw immediate returns on their investment. After deploying law enforcement surveillance equipment system near a train platform that had been a hotspot for burglaries and thefts, criminal activity plummeted.
“We’ve noticed a dramatic decrease in any incidents in and around that train station,” Sergeant Ryan Mulhall said.
And that wasn’t the only success story.
“Within the first day of deployment, the cameras captured footage of commercial burglars in action,” Captain Lachenmeyer of the Arcadia Police Department said of LVT’s quick returns on investment. “We were able to get the plate off the vehicle, and, within hours, our detectives had the people in custody.”
From coast to coast, the numbers tell a compelling story. Here's how LVT Units are helping law enforcement agencies rewrite their crime statistics:
In Opelika, Alabama, the ACCESS partnership between retailers, municipal government, and local police transformed their crime metrics after deploying 17 LVT Units:
But that’s just the beginning. According to the National Police Foundation’s 2024 Technology Impact Report, departments using mobile surveillance systems report an average 23% improvement in response times and a 35% increase in successful case closures.
In Paducah, Kentucky, LVT Units delivered even more impressive statistics:
When election security topped national concerns, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, didn't take chances. Officials deployed LVT Units to monitor 32 ballot drop boxes during the 2020 election. The result? Zero incidents reported and a new blueprint for securing democracy in the digital age.
The catalytic converter crisis hitting headlines nationwide found its match in Mesa, Arizona. When Cruise America's facility became a target, they fought back with LVT Units. Within weeks, attempted thefts dropped to zero. But the story doesn't end there—their success sparked a community-wide transformation.
Whenever unlawful activities occur near Cruise America's lots, even on adjacent properties, the local police department can access LVT surveillance feeds to further their investigations and catch criminals.
Perry Mason might have won cases with dramatic courtroom confessions, but today's prosecutors know video evidence speaks louder than words. LVT'’s secure data handling ensures every frame meets strict chain-of-custody requirements and court admissibility standards.
As any detective will tell you, witness accounts can be contradictory and memories fade.
According to the Innocence Project, eyewitness misidentification played a role in 69% of DNA-based exonerations nationwide. Video evidence tells the complete story—what happened before, during, and after an incident.
While TV shows showcase the badge, real police departments face a stark reality: According to the Police Executive Research Forum, recruitment applications have plummeted 63% nationwide since 2020.
Mobile surveillance units prove to be an effective force multiplier because departments can maximize their staffing levels by moving the trailers around.
Key benefits include:
“With LVT, I can just have one of the guys go down, pick the trailer up, move it to wherever I need it, and within an hour or so it's up and running,” Captain Lachenmeyer said. “I don’t have to have cops on the ground. I can monitor remotely, and if there’s an issue, then we can dispatch cops to that area.”
The financial impact is also significant. Officials in the Arcadia Police Department reported saving thousands of dollars and hundreds of police hours by using LVT’s mobile security units, due to their advanced features like motion detection and pole cameras for comprehensive surveillance coverage.
Remember when CCTV meant grainy footage and blind spots? Those days are as dated as flip phones and fax machines. In today's increasingly complex policing environment, mobile surveillance isn't just an upgrade—it's a complete system reboot.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed recently added a fleet of LVT mobile surveillance units, calling new technology “a game-changer for public safety in this city.”
“As we continue to fill our academy classes with new recruits, this technology not only helps our existing officers be more efficient today, but it means as our ranks grow, we will see even more impact," she said.
Think of it as having an infinite number of patient, alert officers who never need coffee breaks or overtime pay. LVT provides continuous coverage, capturing the subtle signs of criminal activity that might slip past even the most observant human eye.
“By integrating [these mobile units] with our current surveillance tools, we’re reinforcing our deputies and officers in the streets," San Francisco Sheriff Paul Miyamoto said.
From Times Square to Fisherman's Wharf, modern cities face security challenges that would make Sherlock Holmes reach for his magnifying glass. Limited resources stretch thin across unpredictable crowds. Evolving threats emerge faster than policies can adapt. And public perception hangs in the balance. Traditional fixed-camera systems are like trying to watch a football game through a keyhole—you might catch some action, but you'll miss most of the play.
Strategic, visible surveillance reduces crime, increases public trust, and enhances response efficiency.
What seemed like science fiction during “RoboCop” has become an essential component of modern law enforcement strategy. These mobile sentinels provide cost-effective visibility exactly where it's needed, while sophisticated AI helps departments separate actual threats from false alarms.
“LVT has helped us monitor problem areas remotely, without having police officers in every specific area,” Captain Lachenmyer said.
For departments looking to maximize limited resources, the evidence clearly points toward solutions like LVT, which offer flexibility, rapid deployment, and proven results. Ready to learn more? Contact our team today for a demo.
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