It's more than just a security camera: it's a 24/7 witness to crime, with a 360-degree view. It's called Tsunami, and they're coming in waves to places across the state.
The high-tech devices keep watch at all times to prevent crime and catch criminals, faster. Tsunami's inventor wants you to think of it as more than a camera. It's a forensic device with ultra-high def video, and the capability of seeing many angles at once. And, because crime moves - it's important for the Tsunami to move with it.
Just last week in Boone, police were able to track down two vandalism suspects almost immediately after seeing a video, captured by a Tsunami device. The city's downtown is covered with these camera systems, and police say they're cracking down on crime in a big way. They say it has helped solve over 90 percent of reported crimes in downtown Boone.
“It is a 24/7 witness that doesn't lie, in the rain or the shine, and it doesn't ask for overtime,” said Tsunami CEO and Chief Engineer Stephen Teachout.
He created the camera two years ago. Since then, the technology spread across North Carolina.
The Burlington Police Department has three.
“In the areas that we have problems with, we put the cameras out and they help with surveillance,” said Lt. Todd Long with the Criminal Investigation Division, “They help us solve crimes, and for the most part, it helps us reduce the amount of crime in the particular area.”
But because crime doesn't stay in one place, the Tsunami camera doesn't have to, either.
“Crime moves, crime never is in one place that's why it is so imperative to have a device that is mobile,” explained Teachout.
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Investigators say these cameras are an effective tool to help you feel safe, and for them to work smarter.
“It records, but we do not monitor them 24/7,” said Long, “So, if an incident occurs, we log onto the system, and we monitor for that time and that event.”
Other agencies in the Triad, like High Point Parks & Rec, have tested the cameras. Davidson County is also hoping to get some Tsunami devices to put eyes in places they can't always be.