CLEVELAND — Playhouse Square is a jewel of Northeast Ohio. Thousands of people live, work, and visit the area.
"We want to make sure whoever the resident is, whoever the visitor is, they're having the same great experience day in and day out,” said Nathan Kelly, President of Playhouse Square Real Estate.
Safety is part of that experience. Last October, Rosa, a remote observation security agent, moved into Public Square. Equipped with AI technology, Rosa never blinks and can issue verbal warnings to deter criminal activity in real-time. Now, the high-tech cameras are expanding to Playhouse Square.
"The new cameras will be mounted to be able to look at all areas around Playhouse District more discreetly," added Kelly.
Developed by Robotic Assistance Devices (RAD), these cameras are linked to Cleveland’s Real-Time Crime Center, but they are also monitored by Downtown Cleveland Inc. ambassadors in their headquarters from 7 a.m. until midnight.
Ed Eckart, Senior Vice President of Operations at Downtown Cleveland Inc., said that the combination of high-tech cameras, as well as other security measures like dedicated police officers assigned to Public Square, has led to a significantly improved environment.
"Both the statistics bear that out but also the feedback we’re getting from residents, visitors, property owners, they have shared with us that the environment here is noticeably better, ” added Eckart.
While specific crime statistics for Public Square are not available, Eckart said there is a 12% decrease in serious crimes in the area and a 34% drop in crimes like car break-ins in the surrounding neighborhoods.
"Our goal is to really have a network of these smart cameras throughout all of downtown," he says.
By spring, there are expected to be a dozen cameras operating, all of which will be monitored from the Downtown Cleveland Inc. headquarters. Two extra cameras will be placed in Public Square and four at North Coast Harbor.
