Background

The Winston-Salem Police Department (WSPD), internationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), is dedicated to proactive, data-driven approaches to law enforcement. Through initiatives like "Smart Policing," a collaboration with the local community and Winston-Salem State University, the department aims for systemic change in crime reduction and community safety.

Lieutenant Ben Jones oversees the Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) housed in the Criminal Intelligence Bureau, a crucial nerve in the department’s operations. Under his stewardship, the team assists officers in protecting over 253,020 people across 133.7 square miles.

“A more informed officer makes better decisions. We provide as much real-time intelligence as possible to detect, deter, and solve crime.”

The Challenge

Facing violent crime and an annual increase in homicides, the WSPD emphasizes rapid responses underpinned by precise and accurate data. A particularly innovative step is the "Get Connected Winston-Salem" campaign, which integrates community-owned cameras into the police's video security system through Fūsus. This not only broadens the scope of crime monitoring but also exemplifies the department's commitment to collaborative crime-fighting.

However, finding suspects’ vehicles was a logistical nightmare and still relied heavily on witness accounts. “We began looking at LPR solutions to assist in shootings, homicides, and cases involving vehicles.”

Intelligence Gathering with LPR and Multisensor

To elevate its crime-solving capability, the city has strategically placed Verkada License Plate Recognition (LPR) and Multisensor cameras at traffic light intersections.

“Our goal is to improve the solvability and speed of investigations by being able to identify suspects' vehicles across different intersections. We tie LPR with the Multisensor, which gives a four-way view across the intersection. No other solutions we evaluated offer this capability.”

In partnership with the Winston-Salem Department of Transportation (DoT), Jones plugs Multisensor cameras directly into the city system where there's Fiber and power. When an incident is reported, the initial call is directed to the Patrol Divisions, and first responders are dispatched accordingly. The nature of the incident determines its next course: for instance, serious shooting incidents are relayed to the Violent Firearms Investigative Team, while homicides are dealt with by the Criminal Investigation Division.

Finding People and Vehicles with Real-Time Verkada Analytics

“Before, we relied on witness information. Now, with Verkada and Fūsus, finding what we need can take just minutes instead of days.”

The Verkada software, in conjunction with Fūsus, enhances the accuracy and speed of investigations, particularly in locating vehicles associated with a crime and finding missing people. People and Vehicle Analytics allow for the swift identification of both suspects and missing people throughout the city.

Finding Missing People

Detailing a success story, Lt. Jones recounts, “We found a missing person on a Verkada camera, and used People Analytics to find her at different times. We were able to confirm that she was alive at particular times, which gave investigators a starting point.”

Finding Suspects by Vehicle

Coupled with ShotSpotter, a gunfire detection system, the team swiftly locates suspects using real-time analytics. “As soon as there is a shooting, the team uses Verkada to quickly locate suspects’ vehicles based on their description and color. A high percentage of violent crimes involve suspects who arrive, leave, or commit the crime from a vehicle. Verkada helps us identify where they’ve been, where they are, and where they’re headed.”

Using AI-powered search, the team can conduct detailed investigations in a fraction of the time by searching for suspects’ vehicles. In one case, they tracked down a homicide suspect by entering the known vehicle description into the Command search bar (e.g., 'car color, make, and model at specific camera or site'). Not only did this method yield quick results, but it also maintained a focus on objective data, deliberately avoiding the use of personal characteristics. Through this approach, Verkada’s AI technology supports law enforcement in conducting thorough and unbiased investigations.

Alerting with Video Context

Verkada goes a step beyond the image of a vehicle tag, providing a video of the car, its tag, and other vital details. “In the past, we might’ve stopped every red car. With Verkada, we have higher accuracy and less chance of mistaken identity. I've been in the LPR market for a while and found that most solutions only give you a picture of the tag and vehicle. Verkada associates a video with each tag, so we have additional context easily available for intelligence gathering.”

What's Next

These use cases with Verkada are just the beginning.

Lt. Jones envisions a future where the department can seamlessly locate vehicles from one intersection to another, making suspect identification efficient and precise. Entering phase two, the goal is to place Multisensors closer together and increase the Verkada security coverage across the city.

"The LPRs and Multisensor fit into our overlapping technology strategy, and we plan to increase the density of our deployment. If we’re pursuing an active shooter for example, having the cameras near our shotspotter areas allows us to use both technologies in conjunction with one another to locate the shooter.”

Furthermore, by showcasing the efficacy of Verkada to other police departments, Winston-Salem aims to set a benchmark in crime-solving on the East Coast.

Lt. Jones adds, “My goal is real-time problem solving; witnessing events as they unfold, not after. With Verkada, we’re turning that goal into reality.”

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