DALLAS--The Dallas Police Department earlier this year linked 40 IP-based surveillance cameras in its downtown district with a wireless mesh network to effectively monitor crime, a project driven by the department's goal of reducing criminal activity in the area by 30 percent in six months.

Dallas's project is only one of a number of cities moving to a wireless public surveillance solution. Also this month, Los Angeles deployed a new municipal wireless network and video surveillance system in the city's Jordan Downs public housing complex to help curb criminal activity and increase safety in the area, which is known for its high crime rate.

Lt. David Bonicard, Dallas' watch commander of police communications, said Dallas' initiative is in line with other cities concerned with securing their downtown areas.

"The goal is crime reduction," he said. "The way we hope to do that is make citizens feel more secure by letting them know that the cameras are there."

Dallas is known for its busy and densely populated downtown, Bonicard said, with numerous area businesses and relatively active nightlife spots.

"There have been a number of vehicles and property in town hit with petty crime," he said. "That was an issue as well."

Systems integrator BearCom combined security cameras from Sony Security Group with 35 multi-radio mesh network nodes from Firetide, and seven gigabit wireless links from BridgeWave Communications, which were installed on streetlight poles and buildings. The units are also portable, which is useful if there is a need to increase monitoring during special events or if another area experiences increased crime.

Approximately 30 percent of the downtown area is monitored continually from two designated locations -- City Hall and Jack Evans police headquarters. Jeff Murray, project manager with BearCom, said video is watched 24/7 from the City Hall location between two workstations. The police use the second station for monitoring in case an event requires additional police attention.

With many cities in the United States currently taking a closer look at public surveillance options, Kent Huffman, chief marketing officer for BearCom, said the Dallas project is serving as a model.

"There are a number of cities watching the Dallas Police Department going forward," he said. "We have talked to several of them that ask how the project is going. There is a lot of interest and it is still relatively a new trend."