Police consider ways to use NYC streetlights to fight crime

NEW YORK (AP) — Police are looking at possible ways to use New York City's streetlights to fight crime.

Police Commissioner William Bratton said Wednesday that the NYPD is considering introducing high-tech streetlights that would double as security cameras.

He said the streetlights also could be outfitted with so-called ShotSpotter sensors that pinpoint the sound of gunfire. Last year, the NYPD began using the technology in neighborhoods in Brooklyn and the Bronx that had seen an uptick in violence.

According to a city Department of Transportation website, the agency maintains more than 250,000 streetlights throughout the city.

He said the lights could also be programmed to turn brighter if there is a gunshot in the area.