East Lansdowne is installing a network of 41 AI-powered public-safety cameras that watch roadways and sidewalks in real time, letting police trace people and vehicles the moment they enter or leave the tiny Delaware County borough.
At a Glance
- More than half of the 41 planned cameras are already live
- AI flags people, vehicles and objects without recording homes or businesses
- Officers can search footage with keywords instead of scrolling for hours
- Why it matters: Once complete, it will be nearly impossible to pass through East Lansdowne unseen, raising both safety hopes and privacy questions
The department has already put up more than half of the 41 planned AI public safety cameras that will monitor roadways and sidewalks in the borough, according to News Of Philadelphia‘s review of the system.
“There’s public monuments. We have parking lots; municipal parking lots,” East Lansdowne Police Chief James Cadden said during a walk-through of the technology.
Cadden gave News Of Philadelphia a look at the new technology, which he said is helping officers track criminals and keep residents and visitors safe.
How the AI cameras work
The software does not capture private spaces, Cadden emphasized.
“What it does and all that it does is allow for a powerful, quick review of people, vehicles and things that are moving within that time frame,” he said.
The AI cameras are not recording inside private residences or businesses, Cadden said. “In this case, it covered a person’s window,” he added while showing News Of Philadelphia an example of windows being covered to protect privacy.
Key capabilities include:
- Instant alerts on motion patterns
- Keyword searches that pull up relevant clips in seconds
- Pre-arrival scene assessment for responding officers
- Rapid evidence review after incidents are reported
Faster response and review
In addition to tracking, the AI cameras improve police response times by giving the department the ability to see what’s happening at a scene before officers arrive, Cadden said. And, if an incident is reported, the technology cuts down on the time it takes to review footage and identify key pieces of evidence.
Officers can even use key words to narrow their search results, Cadden said.
“And it sees what they were doing immediately without having to go through the scrolling back and back, and, ‘Oh, I went too far,'” Cadden said. “Let me go back and who is this person and what are they doing?”
Privacy safeguards
Cadden said he understands people who have concerns about constantly being on camera, but assured them that the cameras do not take in all of a person’s information.
“It does not biometrically scan your face,” Cadden said. “It does not read your license plate number.”
Once all 41 cameras are installed, Cadden said it will be hard-pressed for anyone not to be seen entering or leaving East Lansdowne.
Key Takeaways
- East Lansdowne’s 41-camera AI network is more than halfway complete
- The system watches public areas only, not homes or businesses
- Police gain faster response times and quicker evidence review
- Privacy controls exclude facial recognition and license-plate reading
