LANCASTER, Pa. — The decision to begin replacing some of the Lancaster Safety Coalition (LSC) surveillance cameras at multiple locations in the city has already begun paying dividends, the Lancaster Bureau of Police said this week.
The cameras, which are deployed at numerous spots in and around the downtown area, "have increasingly aided officials in providing evidence to prosecute crime, specifically hit-and-runs," the police department said in a press release.
The LSC, a non-profit organization that operates the cameras, is in the process of overhauling the 170-camera system, replacing older cameras with new 4K, 360-degree models that provide "a 26% increase in the amount of relevant video evidence provided to prosecutors in hit-and-run crimes," police said.
In 2019, the LSC received 225 requests regarding hit-and-runs, and were able to provide relevant video 33% of the time, according to police.
Up until mid-November of 2021, the LSC received 243 requests and were able to provide relevant evidence 59% of the time.
LSC Executive Director Tim Miller used an analogy “from batting average to free throw percentage” to describe where he hopes those percentages will grow in the future, police said.
That would be an approximate growth from 25% to 75%.
In the photos above, taken from a camera positioned in Lancaster's Penn Square, the first four images show the view from the new 4K resolution, four-lens, 360-degree cameras, according to police. The last image was what the previous one-lens cameras showed.
Miller also emphasized the LSC’s goals of wanting to hold motorists responsible, deter people from committing crimes and overall have a long-term positive effect on the community.
“Motor vehicle crimes such as hit-and-run can be very serious,” District Attorney Heather Adams said in the police press release. “The unbiased video evidence we receive from the Coalition that assists in the prosecution ultimately will deter others from committing this crime.”
Although fewer than half of the cameras have been upgraded so far, Miller believes it’s a positive sign moving forward.
“By the time we have completed our overhaul, the difference will be night and day,” he said.
The Lancaster Safety Coalition was established in 2003 and has the goal “to enhance the safety and quality of life for every resident and visitor in the City of Lancaster,” according to the organization’s website.
The LSC is funded largely by donations, and partners with community-based organizations to promote “CPTED (crime prevention through environmental design), community pride and the shared responsibility that comes with being a good neighbor.”
