Thursday, October 1, 2026
Representatives from the Brookville, Lynbrook and Glen Cove police departments were invited to attend a public safety showcase hosted by Optimum Business in Bethpage on May 11, alongside other police departments and public safety officials from across Long Island, where technology companies demonstrated surveillance systems designed to help law enforcement prevent crime and respond more quickly to emergencies.
The event featured demonstrations of surveillance cameras, license plate readers and monitoring systems that can be installed using Optimum’s cable infrastructure. Officials said the technology can help locate missing people, identify suspicious vehicles and provide police with quicker access to information during emergencies.
Chief Kenneth Lack said Optimum and Axis Communications’ surveillance technology has already proven useful in Brookville, where cameras and license plate readers have assisted officers during investigations.
“These cameras have helped in preventing and solving crimes,” Lack said. “We’ve found missing people with these cameras, wanted people.”
Although Lynbrook Police Chief Brian Paladino said the department does not currently use the specific camera systems demonstrated at the event, he said the technology would still be valuable in expanding surveillance coverage throughout the village.
Explaining that access to power and internet connectivity are often major challenges when installing surveillance systems, Paladino said, “If you have Optimum internet capability and you can put a camera there, it solves that problem.”
Paladino said Lynbrook currently uses about six Flock Safety cameras, primarily around Atlantic Avenue and the downtown area, after a series of drug store burglaries several years ago.
“That’s why we have cameras up on Atlantic Avenue and around our downtown,” he said. “Thankfully we haven’t had to use them a lot. That’s been very good.”
Still, Paladino said surveillance systems remain an important investigative tool for detectives. He pointed to a burglary at a BP gas station on Sunrise Highway in which investigators pieced together footage from nearby private cameras to track a suspect and identify him.
“More data, eyes and imagery help the cases,” he said. “If people see cameras around, if they are obvious, it’s a crime deterrent.”
Andrew Rainone, senior vice president of national business sales at Optimum Business, said the company’s infrastructure is designed to support the technology law enforcement agencies rely on.
“This is a tool to be used by law enforcement to ensure the safety of citizens,” Rainone said.
Celebrity chef and philanthropist Robert Irvine, who attended the event in support of first responders, called the technology “the next generation of safety.”
“If you look at the way technology has evolved, this is the next generation of safety for firefighters, police officers, bases and schools,” Irvine said.
