Orlando Police Crime Center expanding with success of Iris cameras

Police say a network of surveillance cameras is proving to be helpful in fighting crime around Orlando.

ORLANDO, Fla. - The Orlando Police Department Crime Center officers say Iris cameras have been very helpful in solving cases.

Investigators say they are an eye in the sky in Orlando neighborhoods, proving to help battle crime.

Lt. Jay Drasin says, "We’re obviously going to get there much faster when we’re observing ourselves than waiting for a call from the public."

That’s what happened Wednesday when officers say they saw Trave Billings and DeAngelo Stephenson kidnap and carjack a man at Westmoreland and Colonial.

At the time, officers knew Billings had a gun.

Chief Orlando Rolon said at the scene, "Our officers tried to engage him and at that point, he was armed with weapons and a shooting took place."

You can see Billings face messed up after taking on police.

They were able to catch him and Stephenson.

Lt. Draisin says, "We were able to interrupt that crime in progress and come out with a happy ending."

Lt. Draisin says there are around 200 Iris cameras throughout the city, from I-Drive to Lake Eola.

"We will be watching cameras depending on the part of the day. In the mornings, we want to watch schools. In the afternoon, we want to watch traffic intersections. During later in the evening as businesses are closing, we want to have those cameras operations."

Officials plan to expand the crime center to make it even more tech-savvy.

Officers say they won’t release the location of the cameras because they don’t want to tip off the bad guys.

The Iris Program was started at the Orlando Police Department in 2009.