iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Police and public agencies use surveillance technologies to identify people or vehicles, detect gunfire, send drones to calls, and help direct officers. Some systems generate useful alerts or have been associated with arrests, but those results do not by themselves show that a technology reduces crime. Here are nine documented examples and what the available evidence can—and cannot—establish.
What counts as AI surveillance in public safety?
The term covers unlike tools, and not every camera network is an AI system. Live facial recognition compares faces with reference images; automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) read plates for comparison with vehicle lists; acoustic gunshot-detection technology (GDT) flags sounds classified as possible gunfire. Video analytics process camera footage, while drones provide aerial views or reach selected calls. Predictive analytics use data to inform where agencies direct resources.
These tools have different inputs and purposes. An alert, match, or prediction is an operational output—not proof that a person committed an offense or that a system made the public safer. The examples below cover documented deployments; they are not a complete global inventory or a claim to reproduce every entry in any one nine-item list.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →How are these systems being used? Nine documented deployments
| Deployment | Technology and role | What the record establishes |
|---|---|---|
| London, United Kingdom | Live facial recognition (LFR) in police operations | The UK government describes targeted, time-limited deployments and reports more than 1,300 arrests from January 2024 through September 2025. |
| New York City | Drone as First Responder (DFR) | A November 2024 Mayor’s Office announcement described ten drones across five NYPD commands, intended to fly remotely and autonomously to selected priority calls. |
| Milwaukee, Wisconsin: public surveillance network | ALPR and high-definition cameras connected to gunshot detection | A 2024 National Institute of Justice (NIJ) technical summary describes the police department’s effort to optimize an integrated network and evaluate its processes, impact, and cost-effectiveness. |
| Denver, Colorado: gunshot detection | Acoustic alerts intended to identify possible gunfire | A 2024 study examined GDT operations and police response in Denver, Milwaukee, and Richmond. |
| Milwaukee, Wisconsin: gunshot detection | Acoustic alerts intended to identify possible gunfire | The same three-city study included Milwaukee; its findings apply to the study’s GDT operations, not automatically to every component of the city’s wider camera network. |
| Richmond, Virginia: gunshot detection | Acoustic alerts intended to identify possible gunfire | The same 2024 study compared the department’s alert and response processes with those in Denver and Milwaukee. |
| Kansas City, Missouri | Gunshot detection | An NIJ-sponsored 2023 evaluation examined the system installed in 2012 and reported 11,517 detected gunfire incidents through December 31, 2019. |
| Chicago, Illinois | Gunshot detection | An NIJ-sponsored 2023 evaluation examined a system installed in 2012 and reported 85,572 detections from February 6, 2017, through December 31, 2019. |
| Minneapolis, Minnesota | Integrated policing technologies, including cameras, license plate recognition, gunshot detection, and predictive analytics | An NIJ article from 2012 describes crime mapping to direct resources and a system in which a gunshot could cause a camera to turn toward the sound. |
How is facial recognition used by police?
London’s LFR operations compare faces captured in a deployment area with reference images. The UK government says deployments are intelligence-led, targeted to limited locations, and time-bound; it also describes public notice through signage and online notices. A possible match does not itself determine enforcement: the government says an officer at the scene decides what action, if any, to take.
#1 Best Overall
- AI Motion Detection 2.0 – Driving AI to the next level, human&vehicle detection and flexible detection area are more accurate than before. For quicker locating in crucial moments, human&vehicle smart searching in recordings offers you great help.
- Tried-and-True Safe Guard – This one-stop security solution can work with TVI, AHD, CVI, CVBS & IP cameras, the kit includes 1080P cams. The 8CH 3K lite DVR can hook up with 1080P@30fps or 3K/5MP@20fps cams. Therefore, you can also DIY it with other cameras in your home.
- Reliable 24/7 Continuous Recording – With a pre-installed 1TB HDD(Support up to 10TB HDD), providing 24/7 surveillance recording for you. Upgraded H.265+ saves more storage space and uses less bandwidth, recording videos longer and smoother viewing.
- Smart Dual-Light Effectively Guard Your Home – This newly upgraded security system offers you a crisp full color night vision, IR mode and color night vision switch flexibly. Once detect intruders, immediate pushes pop up on your phone, securing your peace of mind day&night.
- Color Night Vision & IP67 Weatherproof – Built-in IR lights and white lights, these cameras can see up to 100ft in B&W night vision, full-color night vision up to 66ft. Rated IP67, these wired cameras can brave all weather, and stand from cold to hot.
The government reports more than 1,300 arrests associated with London deployments between January 2024 and September 2025. That is an arrest count, not a count of unique people, convictions, or crimes prevented. The figure is an official reported outcome, not an independent estimate of the technology’s effect on crime.
There is also a significant legal history. In the Bridges case, the Court of Appeal found that South Wales Police had not fully complied with privacy, data-protection, and equality laws during two pilots. The UK government says subsequent College of Policing guidance and independent National Physical Laboratory testing addressed aspects of the framework and the algorithms used by South Wales Police and the Metropolitan Police. That account does not establish that every later deployment or system is lawful in every circumstance.
What is gunshot detection technology?
GDT uses acoustic sensors and analysis to flag sounds classified as possible gunfire and notify police. It can surface an incident that has not yet been reported by a caller, but a detection is not a confirmed shooting, and a count of detections is not a count of shootings prevented.
What the three-city response study found
Daniel S. Lawrence and Kenneth J. Novak’s July 2024 Office of Justice Programs study drew on 46 stakeholder interviews in Denver, Milwaukee, and Richmond. After GDT implementation, each department experienced a twofold increase in alerts and a two- to threefold increase in staff time allocated to responding. For specific events, response times were generally quicker than for traditional calls reporting shots heard. The time savings occurred mainly between notification and officer assignment—not in officers’ travel time after assignment. This points to a potential dispatch advantage alongside increased workload, rather than proof of improved safety.
Rank #2
- 【AI Motion Detection 2.0】Driving AI to the next level, human&vehicle detection and flexible detection area are more accurate than before. For quicker locating in crucial moments, human&vehicle smart searching in recordings offers you great help.
- 【Tried-and-True Safe Guard】This one-stop security solution can work with TVI, AHD, CVI, CVBS & IP cameras, the kit includes 1080P cams. The 8CH 3K lite DVR can hook up with 1080P@30fps or 3K/5MP@20fps cams. Therefore, you can also DIY it with other cameras in your home.
- 【Reliable 24/7 Continuous Recording】With a pre-installed 1TB HDD(Support up to 10TB HDD), providing 24/7 surveillance recording for you. Upgraded H.265+ saves more storage space and uses less bandwidth, recording videos longer and smoother viewing.
- 【Smart Dual-Light Effectively Guard Your Home】This newly upgraded security system offers you a crisp full color night vision, IR mode and color night vision switch flexibly. Once detect intruders, immediate pushes pop up on your phone, securing your peace of mind day&night.
- 【Color Night Vision & IP67 Weatherproof】Built-in IR lights and white lights, these cameras can see up to 100ft in B&W night vision, full-color night vision up to 66ft. Rated IP67, these wired cameras can brave all weather, and stand from cold to hot.
What Kansas City and Chicago detection counts mean
The NIJ-sponsored 2023 evaluation reported 11,517 detected gunfire incidents in Kansas City through December 31, 2019, and 85,572 detections in Chicago from February 6, 2017, through December 31, 2019. The study reported that Kansas City’s system covered approximately 3.5 square miles; Chicago expanded from an initial area of approximately 3 square miles to around 100 square miles after later district expansions. The counts describe detections during the stated periods, not verified incidents, prevented shootings, or a causal reduction in gun violence.
The evaluation also reported then-current annual subscription costs of $65,000–$90,000 per square mile, citing the provider. Those are study-period figures, not current pricing.
Do police drones reduce response times?
The available New York City announcement describes a planned capability, not a measured result. In November 2024, the Mayor’s Office said ten drones were positioned across five NYPD commands and intended to fly remotely and autonomously to selected priority calls, including missing-person searches and ShotSpotter alerts. The announcement does not establish the program’s current fleet size, actual response-time improvements, or results from an independent evaluation.
The NYPD’s broader drone use, described in the same announcement as dating to late 2018, includes scene documentation, search and rescue, and communication with people in barricaded situations. Those functions should not be conflated with the specific DFR program.
What does the Minneapolis example show—and not show?
An NIJ article from February 2012 describes Minneapolis combining crime mapping and predictive analytics for resource direction with approximately 200 cameras, mobile cameras, license plate recognition, and a link that could turn a camera toward a detected gunshot. The article also reports a long-term decline in Part I offenses beginning in 1998. Because that period involved multiple technologies and organizational changes, the reported trend does not establish that the technology bundle caused the decline.
Rank #3
- INCREDIBLE 12MP UHD IMAGE -- Mind-blowing 12MP PoE home security camera system becomes affordable for your home and business security. Subtle details are recorded to ensure your peace of mind.
- FULL COLOR NIGHT VISION -- The Spotlight of the 12MP outdoor surveillance cameras enables a full color night vision. You can schedule it to work at a time period and switch to IR LED mode other time flexibly. The spotlight can also be Motion-activated to deter intruders working with the siren.
- SMART HUMAN/VEHICLE/PET DETECTION -- Reolink latest smart cameras can now identify people, vehicles, and pets according to their shapes and minimize unwanted alerts.
- TWO-WAY TALK -- The 12MP camera of this home security system has a speaker built-in for two-way communication with your family as well as threat deterrence. Simply press a button on Reolink App or Client to talk.
- 16 POE PORTS, EXPANDABLE TO 24 CHANNELS -- The NVR with hardware version N6MB01 offers 24 channels for Reolink PoE, plug-in Wi-Fi cameras, and specific battery-powered Wi-Fi cameras (Argus PT Ultra, Argus Eco Ultra & Argus 3 Ultra for now, with more supported models in the future) with the latest firmware. Ensure battery cameras and Reolink App are updated. Supports a maximum of 16 PoE/plug-in Wi-Fi cameras.
What do adoption figures say about use?
Use varies by technology and jurisdiction. The University of Michigan’s Center for Local, State, and Urban Policy reported in April 2025 on its Spring 2024 Michigan Public Policy Survey. Among Michigan jurisdictions funding police or sheriff departments, reported public surveillance camera use rose from 28% in 2015 to 50% in 2024, while drone use rose from 3% to 31%. Among Michigan sheriffs and police chiefs, 26% said their agency used ALPR, 10% facial recognition, and 3% AI or predictive-policing tools. These are Michigan survey results, not national adoption rates.
The survey also found uncertainty: 55% of local government officials said they were unsure whether automated assessments were more or less accurate than human assessments. That uncertainty matters when agencies consider systems that may influence deployment decisions.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →When do surveillance outputs amount to public-safety benefits?
Evidence should be read in layers. A sensor detection or facial-recognition alert shows that a system generated an output. Faster assignment or an arrest records an operational result. Neither alone demonstrates fewer crimes, fewer injuries, or a net improvement in safety. Establishing those broader outcomes requires evaluation that can distinguish the technology’s effect from other changes in policing and the surrounding community.
In its April 30, 2025 smart-cities assessment, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) noted that agencies use ALPRs to compare plates with wanted-vehicle lists and acoustic systems to locate gunfire. It cautioned that benefits are difficult to attribute when cities use multiple technologies, citywide scaling can be difficult, and gunshot detection could shift gun crime to another area rather than reduce it.
Rank #4
- Total Property Coverage with Revolutionary 2-In-1 Design: Secure every corner of your property with zero blind spots. In this 4-camera bundle, every single device does the work of two. The innovative Triple-Lens system combines an upper 4K bullet lens (130° wide view) with a lower 2K PTZ lens that locks on, tracks, and zooms. Get both the complete scene and crucial close-ups at the same time. It’s the perfect all-in-one security solution for large estates, sheds, rental.
- AI Tracking from Close-Ups to Cross-Zones: Each camera independently utilizes AI to lock on, auto-frame multiple subjects, and zoom in for crisp details up to 164 ft away. Linked by the HomeBase S380, the 4-camera bundle takes it further with true Cross-Camera Tracking. As someone walks through your property, the cameras hand off the target seamlessly, stitching the activity across different zones into one continuous, timestamped video.
- Forever Solar Power & Effortless Setup: Skip the hardwiring and professional installers! Equipped with an ultra-large 5.5W solar panel and SolarPlus 2.0 tech, just 1 hour of direct sunlight daily keeps your camera running year-round. Thanks to this 100% wire-free, smart detachable design, you can easily mount and set up the camera anywhere in just minutes.
- No Subscription & Guaranteed Privacy with HomeBase S380: This bundle securely stores all your footage locally on the HomeBase S380’s 16GB built-in drive (expandable with any 2.5" drive). Beyond massive storage, the hub unifies all 4 cameras into one easy-to-use app. Featuring local BionicMind AI, it learns to recognize familiar faces, drastically reducing false alerts so you’re only bothered by real threats. Starting with 4 cameras, this highly scalable system can easily support up to 16 devices total.
- Precise Detection, Powerful Deterrence: Radar and PIR sensors deliver precise motion alerts with fewer false alarms. When a threat is detected within your set zone or schedule, red and blue warning lights and a 105 dB siren activate to deter intruders.
What safeguards and oversight should the public look for?
Surveillance can affect privacy, fairness, and how people are treated, as well as agency operations. A meaningful assessment should ask what data a system collects, how long it is kept, who can access it, how alerts are verified, and whether the agency measures errors and disparate impacts.
- Purpose and limits: Is use restricted to defined situations, locations, and time periods?
- Human review: Who checks a match or alert, and who makes the consequential decision?
- Transparency: Are residents told where and how the technology is used, and can they find public policies and evaluations?
- Privacy and access: Are retention, sharing, and access rules clear and enforced?
- Independent evaluation: Does the evaluation distinguish alerts and arrests from changes in crime, harm, or response outcomes?
- Bias assessment: Does the agency assess risks for the specific technology and its actual use?
A December 3, 2024 GAO review found that selected Department of Homeland Security law-enforcement agencies reported using more than 20 detection, observation, and monitoring technologies in fiscal year 2023, including facial recognition, ALPR, drones, pole-mounted cameras, and access to third-party data. GAO found that reviewed policies did not always address key privacy protections and that agency-wide procedures for assessing bias risks were incomplete. This is a finding about the selected federal agencies GAO reviewed, not every local police department.
How to compare a deployment responsibly
Rather than treating “AI surveillance” as one product category, compare each system on the questions that match its function:
Quick Recap
- Input: Does it analyze faces, vehicle plates, sounds, video, or aerial views?
- Purpose: Is it intended to identify a person or vehicle, flag possible gunfire, locate an incident, triage a call, document a scene, or guide deployment?
- Decision path: What prompts an alert, who verifies it, and what decisions remain with officers?
- Outcome evidence: Are reported results detections, faster assignment, arrests, or a measured change in safety?
- Governance: Are notice, retention, access controls, privacy protections, bias assessment, and public oversight documented?
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
