Philadelphia Controller slams city’s failing surveillance cameras

Philadelphia skyline
City of Philadelphia

A controversy over under-performing surveillance cameras has caused tension in the City of Brotherly Love, following a damning report from the City Controller.

Alan Butkovitz released details of an audit which found only 32 per cent of sampled Philadelphia police surveillance cameras were functioning properly.

The report was a follow-up to an initial surveillance camera audit run in June 2012, which found that only 45 per cent of cameras were working properly and led the city to promise that 90 per cent of cameras would be working by the September of that year.

Some 31 installed cameras were reviewed for quality, performance and functionality in the follow-up. After observing video footage captured, only a third of those were found to be working properly.

The Controller found issues including objects such as traffic lights and trees blocking visibility, images with pixelated edges causing difficulty in capturing moving items, or condensation and water in domes or on the lens making identification impossible. In addition, there were also examples of no image at all being produced by some cameras.

Butkovitz said: “It is discouraging to report that only 32 per cent of the sample cameras from around the city were functioning properly.

“This means that at any given time when crime is occurring around our City, only a third of the cameras are able to capture criminal activity.”

The controller also visited and compared Philadelphia’s camera network with that in Baltimore, which has 97 per cent of cameras functioning and a scheduled maintenance and repair plan.

He warned that Philadelphia needs to implement such a preventative plan to ensure repairs are carried out quicker and get cameras regularly cleaned and maintained to uphold their use as an effective crime-fighting tool.

“With crime occurring every day in our city, Philadelphia needs to adopt necessary measures for its surveillance cameras to function properly,” said Butkovitz. “Without taking action to improve our camera system, these cameras will continue to fail our police offices in solving crimes.

“More importantly, they will continue to fail at providing safety for Philadelphians.”

Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter has hit back at the Controller, claiming 85 per cent of cameras are operating as they should be.  He said the report has “many inaccuracies” and the city already has a maintenance programme for the cameras.

 

About Security Buyer

Security Buyer is the leading authority in global security content, delivering expert news, in-depth articles, exclusive interviews, and industry insights across print, digital, and event platforms. Published 10 times a year, the magazine is a trusted resource for professionals seeking updates and analysis on the latest developments in the security sector.

To submit an article, or for sponsorship opportunities, please contact our team below.

Rebecca Spayne picture 2025

Rebecca Spayne

Managing
EDITOR

Georgina Turner image

Georgina Turner

Sales
Manager

Afua Akoto image - Security Buyer

Afua Akoto

Marketing Manager

Read the Latest Issue

Follow us on X

Follow us on X

Click Here

Follow us on LinkedIn

Follow us on LinkedIn

Click Here

Advertise here

Reach decision makers and amplify your marketing

Advertise here

Click Here

Related News

GBV

IFPO Column: The Quiet Signals of Danger

Yoyo Hamblen of IFPO and Gary Simpson, Nonverbal and Behavioural specialist discuss the important topic of Gender-Based Violence..
Image Provided by Hanwha

Thames Valley Police: Enhancing public safety with a CCTV partnership

Thames Valley Police worked with local authorities to improve CCTV coverage, cut costs, and boost efficiency. It’s made public spaces..
Human oversight in the age of AI security image - Security Buyer

Human oversight in the age of AI security

Alex Kazerani, SVP of Cloud Video Security & Access Control, Motorola Solutions explores the power of AI in video security.

Olympia Electronics at The Fire Safety Event 2025

Olympia Electronics, a leading European manufacturer of safety and security systems, is pleased to…
Image Provided by Suprema

Suprema Signs MOU with Hyundai Motor Group

Suprema announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Hyundai Motor Group. This partnership…
Image Provided by Gallagher Security

Gallagher Security New Appointments to Australia Team

Gallagher Security is proud to announce two new appointments and an internal promotion to kick off 2025…
Image Provided by Verkada

Verkada Doubles Down on the Channel with Strategic New Hire

Verkada, a leader in cloud-based physical security, today announced the appointment of Micah Deriso as Head of Global Channel…
Image Provided by Brivo

What can Security do to encourage more female representation?

Jamie Thompson, Vice President, Engineering at Brivo offers her comments on the progression of women in the security industry…
Image provided by Genetec

Nicholas Smith to Lead Genetec UK and Ireland Operations

Genetec, provider of enterprise physical security software, announced the appointment of Nicholas Smith as its new Regional Sales Director…
Scroll to Top