Building a Smarter Public Safety Network with 5G Cameras & License Plate Recognition

 Pleasure Island serves as both a residential community and a major recreational destination, remaining accessible 24 hours a day.

However, the existing camera infrastructure had become unreliable after years of exposure to severe weather, aging equipment, and inconsistent maintenance. Many cameras were no longer operational, limiting visibility across key access points and public spaces.

The City needed a modern solution that would:

• Improve visibility across strategic locations

• Support criminal investigations

• Provide law enforcement with real-time intelligence

• Modernize aging surveillance infrastructure

• Deliver reliable connectivity across locations with limited existing infrastructure 

Together, Premier Wireless and PulseShift designed and deployed a comprehensive connected surveillance solution, powered by T-Mobile, across strategic locations encompassing key areas throughout Pleasure Island, including the island’s entrance and exit.

The deployment included:

• High-definition surveillance cameras

• Camera lenses providing wide-area coverage

• License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology at key entry points

• Intelligent video analytics

• Secure 5G connectivity powered by T-Mobile's nationwide network

• Integration with the Port Arthur  Police Department's existing video management systems

By leveraging Milestone's open-platform Video Management System (VMS), the solution integrates with the Police Department's existing investigative platform, allowing officers to securely access live video and recorded footage without replacing existing workflows.

The system also provides the flexibility to expand in the future with additional cameras, public Wi-Fi, and connected infrastructure as operational needs evolve. 

Rather than simply recording footage, the new system provides officers with searchable intelligence.

Using PulseShift's intelligent analytics platform, law enforcement can quickly search video using characteristics such as:

• Vehicle make and model
• Vehicle color
• License plate
• Clothing descriptions
• Direction of travel

This dramatically reduces the time required to locate vehicles or individuals of interest while supporting investigations with real-time visual evidence.

Strategic deployment locations include dedicated License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology, providing enhanced visibility at key entry and exit points across the island.

These systems help law enforcement:

• Identify vehicles of interest entering or leaving the island

• Support ongoing investigations

• Monitor high-priority locations

• Deter criminal activity

• Improve situational awareness before officers arrive

Combined with high-definition video, LPR provides another layer of operational intelligence that helps agencies move from reactive response toward proactive public safety. 

Reliable connectivity was essential to the success of the deployment. Using T-Mobile's nationwide 5G network, the solution securely transmits high-definition video and LPR data in real time, allowing officers to access critical information whenever they need it.

Every deployment was designed with 5G as the primary connection, supported by automatic 4G failover for additional resiliency.

This allows the City to benefit from:

• Fast, reliable video transmission Secure remote access

• Simplified deployment without extensive wired infrastructure

• Flexible installation in both powered and solar-powered locations 

Today, the City of Port Arthur benefits from a modern surveillance platform that helps improve operational awareness across one of its busiest public spaces.

The solution provides:

• Improved situational awareness across key strategic locations throughout the island

• Real-time access to live and recorded video

• Faster access to investigative intelligence

• License Plate Recognition for proactive policing initiatives

• Modernized surveillance infrastructure

• Reliable 5G-connected public safety technology

• A scalable platform ready for future expansion