Eyes in the sky: Jersey City adds more surveillance cameras

Jersey City officials say they are doing their part to reduce crime by adding additional surveillance cameras around the city.

This long-term project targets 11 high-crime areas in Jersey City, according to officials. The new cameras bring the total number of surveillance cameras to 208 citywide.

Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop says that when he first came into office many of the cameras around the city did not work.

“They were either not connected or totally dysfunctional. Over the last couple years we’ve totally revamped the system,” says Fulop.

There are typically four cameras up at a certain intersection, one facing in every direction. Some locations have a fifth camera that can zoom in or pan around to get a closer look at an area. Investigators can view recorded video on their computer or watch a live feed through an app on their phone.

“When you’re heading to a scene, you have a better understanding of what you’re arriving at,” says Kearns.

Fulop says the cameras, when paired with traditional police work, help reduce crime in Jersey City.

“It acts as a deterrent for people when they know that there are cameras there. And it helps with the investigations,” says Fulop. “The visibility is better than anything we’ve ever had before, so we've seen progress in crime decreasing over the last four years and tools like this are helpful."

Fulop says that while most of the cameras are at city intersections, there are some stationed in city parks.