2,000 Cameras To Watch Chicago

CBS 2 | November 16, 2004

Mayor Daley officially opened a new city operations center Tuesday that will include a dramatic increase in camera surveillance on Chicago's streets. The new addition to the 9-1-1 center will help manage and coordinate in response to emergencies such as a terrorist attack.

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The new system will allow emergency workers to receive instant real time video and audio information from 2,000 cameras and microphones stationed around the city. The system won't be fully operational until spring.

“The key to dealing with an emergency is not just having the manpower, it's having the manpower in the right place at the right time,” Mayor Daley said.

The operations center will respond to anything from terrorist attacks to gas leaks.

The new system also has the ability to instantly report the sound of gun shots within hearing distance of the microphones planned around the city.

Last modified November 16, 2004