Preventing Crime With Tech: The Newark Experiment

TechCrunch editor, and personal hero, Mike Arrington interviews Mayor Cory Booker regarding the impact of the $3.1 million Community Eye project, which is a blanket of wireless, high-resolution cameras. Preventing Crime With Tech: The Newark Experiment
Booker counts the the cameras as one of the key components of the city’s 40% drop in the murder rate in 2008. The audio gunshot-detection technology, which will help cameras hone in on the source of a gunshot, will also come online later this summer.

Newark has raised $2 million of the required funds and are looking to private philanthropists to fill the gap. If you’re interested in donating to the Community Eye project, click this link: Donate Now to Community Eye in Newark.

The podcast is linked below, and well worth the full 20 minutes of your time.

[audio:http://www.talkcrunch.com/wp-content/TalkCrunch-EP36-CoryBooker.mp3%5D

People told me when I first came into office, that if I saw a 10% reduction in murders, that’s dramatic. And not just in 1 year, but as mayor for 4 years to accomplish that. This year alone we’re having 40%, not to mention what we accomplished last year. Overall, everywhere we’re seeing a reduction in crime. In some areas we’re seeing it completely stop.