Keeping the city of New Orleans safe with Cisco IoT

While the Big Easy has long been famous for letting the good times roll, New Orleans is increasingly recognized for good times AND less crime. In fact, since the 2017 launch of its Real-Time Crime Center (RTCC), the City has become a leader in using Cisco IoT solutions to support public safety.

Core to the City’s IoT solutions are hundreds of IP cameras installed on nearly every corner. These cameras – powered securely by a wireless network of ruggedized Cisco ISR with the Cisco IR829 integrated service routers (ISR) – stream live video to the RTCC. In a matter of minutes, the RTCC processes and shares relevant footage with officers in the field. It also gathers and analyzes video footage as part of longer-term investigations of criminal activity and quality-of-life concerns.

“The Cisco IR829 has supported everything we’ve asked it to do. It has been extremely reliable and very robust in every aspect of every solution we’ve thrown at it.”

Richard Couget, Network Manager, City of New Orleans

Imagine it: Rather than showing up at a scene with little or no background information, police arrive armed with critical insights. In the past, it might take an officer 20 minutes to interview both parties involved in a car accident. With accident footage in tow, the officer can handle the situation and return to the field far more quickly.

In other cases, the City’s IP cameras catch crimes in progress. Within minutes, the RTCC sends footage to nearby walking-beat police officers who can quickly identify and arrest the culprits. And whether responding within minutes or days after a crime has occurred, having concrete evidence in hand enables greater police efficiency when interviewing witnesses and suspects.

“Real-time video is like having a force multiplier
as a virtual partner. It helps eliminate challenges
and adds tremendous value.”

George Brown, IT Manager, New Orleans Real-Time Crime Center

The City’s concept of the network edge also keeps evolving. As the city deploys more Cisco ISR routers using the Cisco IR829s with integrated enterprise wireless access points, the edge is becoming mobile. That’s helping New Orleans extend its network far beyond fixed areas.

New Orleans police are also saving thousands of hours on radio upgrades. In the past, officers had to bring equipment into headquarters for firmware and software upgrades. With the help of Cisco’s secure Wi-Fi access point network, they can now upgrade their radios while in the field. In 2018, these remote upgrades saved the New Orleans police department nearly 2,500 public safety manpower hours. What’s more, this “virtual” extension between police stations and vehicles helps officers stay focused on what matters most: keeping the streets safe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3Ra81-XPOs

In short, the Big Easy is using Cisco IoT solutions to overcome big challenges – and achieving its lowest crime rates in decades. That’s a feat worth celebrating!