What began as a grassroots response to rising crime evolved into one of the nation's most innovative community-supported video security networks. The Lancaster Safety Coalition (LSC) emerged as a non-profit organization separate from law enforcement but working collaboratively with police to enhance public safety through video monitoring powered by open platform video management software (VMS).
680 video streams, 12 recording servers
video management software
Health Utility Monitor (HUM),
DeviceMap (DMap),
Bridge to XProtect (BTX),
Digital Evidence
Crime had hollowed out Lancaster’s downtown. Businesses shuttered, residents began moving out of the city, and a culture of fear silenced witnesses, creating a vicious cycle of unsolved crimes and eroded public trust. Technologically, the Coalition's early system of DVRs and analog PTZ cameras couldn't scale as needed, sometimes limiting the coalition’s ability to provide comprehensive coverage and reliable evidence for law enforcement.
To rebuild trust and safety, the Lancaster Safety Coalition (LSC) turned to a flexible, future-proof foundation: Milestone XProtect open platform video management software (VMS). Its open architecture allowed seamless integration of best-in-class cameras, servers, monitoring software and analytics, providing a critical advantage for scaling city-wide while adapting to new challenges over time.
Systems integrator App-Techs designed a comprehensive solution incorporating approximately 170 4K, quad-sensor cameras from i-PRO, positioned strategically throughout Lancaster City’s neighborhoods and downtown. This brought together multiple technologies, including camera hardware, server infrastructure, monitoring software and data analytics, into a cohesive system that could evolve with the organization's needs while maintaining operational simplicity for LSC staff.
The XProtect VMS has helped transform Lancaster's safety landscape. The results speak for themselves: annual homicides plummeted from 10–15 then to just two, and the availability of critical video evidence soared from 55% to over 90%. In 2023 alone, LSC operators provided live video support to 911 dispatchers during more than 4,100 incidents, strengthening rapid response and case closure rates.
Beyond crime reduction, Lancaster's downtown has experienced remarkable economic revitalization, with once-empty streets now thriving with pedestrian activity.
Lancaster’s transformation is now a blueprint for community-driven safety innovation. By pairing advanced open platform technology with a citizen-first approach, Lancaster Safety Coalition proved that small cities can reclaim their streets, rebuild trust, and thrive once again.
