A behind-the-scenes look at ACHILES, Atlantic City Police's 24/7 surveillance center
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBS) -- Police in Atlantic City are adding more security cameras to the thousands that already keep a watchful eye on the busy tourist spot. By the time the project is complete, a majority of Atlantic City will be covered and officials hope it will help stop crime before it starts.
CBS News Philadelphia got a behind-the-scenes look at the 24/7 surveillance center called ACHILES — the Atlantic City Headquarters for Intelligence, Logistics and Electronic Surveillance.
The department said it's transformed the way staff do things.
"We have access to over 3,000 cameras throughout Atlantic City. Some are privately owned and some are the Atlantic City police department," Atlantic City Police Chief James Sarkos said.
This all started in 2016 and the surveillance has grown across the city. More cameras will be added, thanks to a recent $5 million state grant.
Also in the center is "ShotSpotter," which detects shootings, and a system called "Mutualink," where casinos can share their video feeds and allow police to instantly communicate with their security teams.
The department also utilizes Project P.A.C.T., which allows local businesses to share their feeds.
The department is using all of this technology and access to its advantage to solve crime, catch it live, and ultimately stop it from happening in the first place.
"And that's the number one goal to deter crime from ever occurring but also send a message that if you commit a crime in Atlantic City, we will use technology to find you and arrest you," Sarkos said.
The unit is made up of retired police officers essentially doing virtual patrol.
"We like to use retired police officers because they have 25+ years of experience, they know what reasonable suspicion is, they know what probable cause is, they know what the streets of Atlantic City are, and they know our terminology, our radio codes, our policies and procedures," Sarkos told CBS News Philadelphia.
When a call for service comes in, the surveillance team can relay what's happening to officers in the field so they are prepared.
"And they rewind it and see what happened and we are able to get suspect photos out very quickly to the officers and it's made us be a lot more effective in solving crimes," Sarkos said.
The cameras are in place not only to keep the people who live and work in Atlantic City safe but also to bring a sense of security to people who visit.
"Atlantic City is open for business," Sarkos said. "We are a vibrant tourism town and we are going to do everything in our power to make Atlantic City as safe as possible."
