New Orleans non-profit operates the largest network of public crime cams

RESIDENTS OF NEW ORLEANS – The two-story building of the University of New Orleans has over 10,000 video streams from communities across the country at the speed of light.

A small staff of employees scans these channels, studies gang members and monitors drug deals in towns and cities.

It’s called Project NOLA, the largest public crime camera network in the US and the only security non-profit organization.

“Just like the Red Cross and CrimeStoppers, we help people,” said chief executive Brian Lagarde. “Because we’re not focused on making a profit, people trust us with their privacy and we’re efficient.”

Brian Lagarde is the author of the NOLA project. He spends his day studying gang members in small and large cities across the US. (Fox News)

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The project began in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to help the police department at a time when crime was on the rise and officers’ homes were being destroyed. Today it has expanded to a nationwide operation.

“The cameras are literally coast to coast,” Lagarde said. “From California, Florida, New Jersey and many other places.”

As agencies scramble for manpower across the U.S., Project NOLA security cameras can fill in the gaps by drawing more attention to high-crime areas.

“The work is hard,” Lagarde said. “We’re seeing the worst that humanity has to offer, but part of what’s worth it is knowing we’re helping bring justice.”

Using artificial intelligence, the cameras alert Project NOLA if they detect illegal activity, and Project NOLA can inform law enforcement. Authorities can also view videos after a crime has been committed to find suspects and use them as evidence in court.

This is a sample video stream that Project NOLA may share publicly. Typically, these screens show cameras in criminal areas so that personnel can study the movements and interactions of gang members. (Fox News)

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“The cameras don’t lie,” Lagarde said. “If someone says that I did not commit this crime, I was at my mother’s house, the camera says no, you committed this crime and you were not at your mother’s house.”

Through donations, Project NOLA provides high-quality security cameras for free to homeowners, businesses, schools, churches, and more. Customers only have to pay an annual fee of around $300 for cloud storage.

“Business owners and residents are realizing the importance of helping their local law enforcement,” Largard said. “It’s a community effort, especially with staffing issues right now in law enforcement, it’s almost impossible for them to handle on their own.”

This year, according to Lagarde, the cameras have already helped law enforcement in hundreds of cases. As New Orleans lays claim to being “America’s Murder Capital” for 2022, business owners say cameras are critical.

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The Three-Legged Dog Tavern in the French Quarter was the first business to receive a Project NOLA camera from the start. The bar is located on the corner of one of the busiest streets in the tourist area.

“Over the past decade, these cameras have helped police investigate hundreds of crimes in the French Quarter,” said bar owner Tim Blake. “I couldn’t run my business without them.”

A few blocks down Royal Street, the Valobra jewelry and antiques store features some of Project NOLA’s newest cameras.

“A few months ago, a camera that I set up outside my jewelry store was used to identify an attacker who threatened someone with a knife in the French Quarter,” said store owner Franco Valobra. “Face recognition technology recognized his face and he was arrested.”

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Project NOLA says facial recognition software is only used in cities where the technology is legal. Most video streams are also only kept for 10 days if no crime is detected.

“We don’t monetize our data,” Lagarde said. “We don’t sell it. We don’t share it. Any video is shared only with law enforcement.”