The Real-Time Revolution in Police Surveillance

In TV dramas of old, "surveillance" might have meant detectives sitting in unmarked cars with binoculars or listening to wire taps. These days, police have access to a vast ecosystem of mobile and fixed technology to respond to rising crime, especially in cities facing acute officer shortages. 

For example, Chicago is short over 1,300 officers, Los Angeles 1,000, and New York City 3,000, according to American Police Beat. Meanwhile crime in certain sectors is increasing. In the first half of 2023 alone, vehicle thefts jumped more than 33 percent across major U.S. cities, according to the Council on Criminal Justice.

This trend has led to a growing reliance on mobile surveillance to help fill in the gaps. Police can deploy these tools to specific locations, and also tap into private security networks, to gain real-time coverage.

New Surveillance Tools in the Field

The range of surveillance tools police can use to improve gathering evidence and speed up response times is growing. Here is a sample of some emerging technologies. 

Drones

Drones provide aerial surveillance during emergencies, search-and-rescue missions, and crowd monitoring. They provide visibility over large areas without endangering personnel. Most drones carry high-resolution cameras, infrared or thermal sensors, and GPS. Some are equipped with zoom lenses, night vision, or license plate readers. They stream live video to officers on the ground or a command center. They can capture footage of large events, monitor crime hotspots, or provide situational awareness during emergencies or standoffs. According to the Atlas of Surveillance, a research project by the Electric Frontier Foundation and the University of Nevada, Reno, over 1,700 police departments in the U.S. currently operate drones.

Ground Robots

Ground robots support law enforcement by entering buildings or hazardous environments where it's unsafe to send officers. Outfitted with cameras, microphones, and sometimes two-way audio, they allow remote surveillance in real time—especially useful during standoffs, bomb threats, or tactical operations. Some models move on tracks and are used to inspect suspicious objects. In contrast, agile robots can climb stairs, open doors, and navigate tight spaces to provide officers with visual and audio intelligence during emergencies, search-and-rescue missions, or crowd monitoring.

Body Cameras

Body cameras record officer interactions and supply key footage for investigations, internal reviews, and courtroom evidence. Although less common, some advanced models can transmit live video back to a command center over LTE or 5G networks, providing supervisors with real-time visibility during unfolding incidents. According to EFF, there are over 5,300 body-worn cameras in use in the United States at the moment. 

Biometric Tools

Biometric tools involve a group of methods to track physical or biological characteristics of individuals, including fingerprint and facial recognition. Commercial manufactures scrape billions of publicly available images from social media sites and match them with images in government databases. According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), 20 out of 42 federal agencies that deploy law enforcement officers use facial recognition. The EFF estimates over 960 facial recognition tools are in operation across US police departments. 

Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs)

Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) scan and log license plate data in real time, alerting officers to stolen vehicles, outstanding warrants, or traffic violations. Many departments mount these systems on patrol cars, allowing officers to monitor traffic while on the move and respond to flagged vehicles. In fact, a US congressional report states that nearly 90 percent of sheriffs' offices with more than 500 sworn deputies use ALPR and 100 percent of police departments serving over 1 million residents utilize the technology. EFF estimates over 1,950 ALPRs are in the field. 

Surveillance Camera Networks 

Surveillance camera networks are among the most common tools available to law enforcement. Cameras can provide 360-degree views, thermal imaging, and pan/tilt/zoom functionality. Some cameras can also be equipped with facial recognition and ALPRs. Many law enforcement agencies offer programs that invite residents and private business owners to register their private camera networks so that officers can request footage in the case of future crimes. For example, in San Francisco, the Union Square Alliance has a camera program that consists of over 520 private security cameras that are available to police upon request (however, facial recognition is not included). 

Gunshot Detection Systems

Gunshot detection systems use acoustic sensors mounted on poles or rooftops to triangulate the origin of gunshots. While most are fixed in place across urban grids, some departments have tested mobile acoustic sensors for temporary deployment at events or in hotspots. The alerts can help officers respond faster, even when no 911 call comes in.

Manned Surveillance Towers

Manned surveillance towers provide on-demand coverage at hotspots and temporary deployments. They combine video, detection, alerts, and visible deterrence in a standalone platform that gives agencies the ability to shift coverage quickly. Manned towers feature a scissor lift that raises a small cabin in which an officer sits approximately 20 feet in the air. Cities like San Diego and Charlotte, for example, use manned towers to monitor public events and provide general deterrence. Research suggests these towers are effective as long as an officer remains on site. A 2024 study in Arlington, Texas found that manned towers placed in high-risk parking lots reduced vehicle-related thefts over time. However, crime ticked back up once criminals realized the towers weren't staffed around the clock.

Unmanned Towers

Unmanned towers like those from LVT, are built for remote operation 24/7. Departments can deploy an LVT Unit to a parking lot, transit station, or event venue without laying cable or pulling power from nearby infrastructure. Once in place, the unit can immediately begin capturing video, detecting movement, and issuing alerts. Agentic AI  software built into the unit can also assess behavior, such as someone loitering near a fence. The tower speakers, driven by AI, will then tell the trespasser to leave the premises. In this way, the unit can prevent a crime before a police officer gets involved.

Seeing It All With Real-Time Crime Centers

For all of the data streaming from cameras and sensors to be actionable, police need quick access. This has given rise to the creation of real-time crime centers (RTCCs) that resemble a fusion between a 911 call center and a tactical command hub. Large video walls display live feeds from traffic cameras, drones, and license plate readers, and possibly body cams. Sworn officers or analysts monitor the screens and direct resources where they’re needed. In fact, more than 130 police or sheriffs' departments in the United States operate real-time crime centers.

A study of RTCC-equipped agencies reported a 5 percent increase in solving violent crimes and a 12 percent increase in solving property crimes in Chicago, boosting clearance rates by 11 percent. In Chino, California, crime analysts used live 911 call data and license-plate camera feeds to trace suspect vehicles from intersection to intersection. Police in Cobb County (Ga), in Atlanta, operate an RTCC with a total of 48 computer screens and access to over 12,000 public and private cameras. In one incident, police were able to intercept a driver suspected in a shooting by spotting his car using a license plate reader. 

How LVT Fits Into an RTCC Environment

LVT's mobile security units integrate directly with RTCCs through cloud-based platforms like Fusus. Each unit operates as a mobile surveillance hub that connects to the LVT Platform over cellular or satellite networks. From there, live video, alerts, and metadata stream back to the RTCC.

Mounted on a trailer with a telescoping mast, an LVT Unit includes pan-tilt-zoom cameras, thermal cameras, floodlights, motion detection, and onboard power. Departments can deploy one to a parking lot, transit station, or event venue in under an hour. No need to lay cable or draw power from nearby infrastructure. Once in place, the unit can immediately start capturing video, detecting movement, and issuing alerts. 

Analysts inside the RTCC can view live video from a given LVT Unit, replay recent activity, activate lights, or download footage as evidence. This ensures that mobile surveillance is not isolated. It's part of the same operational picture that the department uses to coordinate patrols and monitor active cases.

Serving Departments without RTCCs

Not every department has a crime center, of course. In these cases, alerts from an LVT Unit go straight to a patrol supervisor, investigator, manager, analyst, or any authorized user through a secure dashboard or mobile app. Authorized users can log in, view live feeds, and activate deterrents without a centralized command center. This allows departments to focus their attention where it matters most. A patrol sergeant can receive an alert if a vehicle circles a school parking lot after hours. A crime analyst can review flagged footage without scrubbing through hours of video. And in many cases, the presence of the unit is enough to stop criminal behavior before it escalates. The result isn’t just fewer calls to dispatch, but better use of the resources already on duty. LVT systems help departments filter noise, document activity, and stay ahead of developing situations—even when no one is watching in real time.

Smarter Surveillance, Connected Response

Law enforcement agencies no longer treat surveillance equipment as a collection of separate tools. The most effective departments use connected systems that capture, analyze, and respond in real time. Cameras still matter, but so do alerts, voice commands, data sharing, and platform integration.

LVT Units go where fixed infrastructure can’t. They detect movement, engage with suspects, and alert the right personnel, whether an analyst in central command or a patrol supervisor. And they operate as part of a broader network, not a standalone post.

As cities expand their use of real-time crime centers, LVT helps agencies respond faster, scale smarter, and maintain a visible presence without additional personnel. 

Want to learn more about LVT? Contact us today.