Talking camera reinforces public order in Cannes

It can transmit pre-recorded messages and communicate in real time

A new device has recently enhanced the arsenal of the security forces of Cannes. The city authorities informed last week of the instalment of a talking camera at Commandant Maria square. The device comes in addition to the two cameras that are already placed in the vicinity and will support the daily work of the municipal police by distributing messages to citizens.

Improving public security and order step by step

The new device is capable of transmitting pre-recorded messages and ensuring communication in real-time. It can turn 360 degrees, has a zoom of 30x and face-recognition.  It is located on the north part of the square, at 6 metres high, which gives it an overview of the entirety of the public space.

The loudspeakers of the camera have a reach of 40 metres and are conceived as a tool to transmit messages, to be used in particular in the case of major risks. According to Mayor of Cannes David Lisnard, the technology will be particularly helpful in the fight against incivilities, as it can observe, alert and deter delinquent behaviour.

The pilot project is managed by the Centre for Urban Protection and is only the first step in a larger renovation plan which seeks to improve the life quality of residents by making public space more pleasant and secure for families. Accordingly, next summer the below-mentioned undertakings will follow as part of the same line of efforts:

• installation of two ordinary cameras;
• intensification of public lightning and pruning vegetation for better visibility;
• creation of “Paris type” of borders around the basin to limit gatherings;
• installation of a carousel;
• arrangement of a terrace.

Finally, the city on the French riviera boasts the densest system of video protection in France, with 690 cameras distributed at strategic points of the city, or 1 camera for every 109 citizens.