High-tech ‘Cameras on Wheels’ are watching your every move

In the era of high-tech security systems, the scope of surveillance technology could sometimes be taken for granted.

While privacy remains a central issue in security camera discourse, one piece of technology is being deployed in public areas where no one should reasonably expect it — and it is helping in more ways than just recording empty parking lots.

Cameras on Wheels, or COWs, are popping up in business parking lots, construction sites, car lots, events and even in communities recovering from wildfires.

The solar-powered security systems come equipped with license plate recognition and multiple Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras that offer high-definition footage, according to Nile Coates, vice president of US sales at ECAM, a Texas‑based manufacturer of mobile surveillance units, who spoke to KTLA about the technology.

Their signature look — a long, white pole with blue lights at the top — serve as a scarecrow to would-be crime, according to Logan Harris, the CEO of military surveillance contractor Spotter Global, who told KTLA they are referred to as the farm’s bodyguard because “they have bright flashing lights on them, cameras, and they look kind of scary.”

While crime deterrence is one of the main objectives for installing a COW, the systems go even further as Coates told KTLA that while their presence does reduce the risk of crime, “when activity escalates, our team can dispatch directly to local guard partners as well as law enforcement.”

The towers, connected through cell bandwidth or WiFi to provide an ever-watchful eye, have helped law enforcement thwart a copper wire theft ring and capture mall shoplifters, according to KTLA.

Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Commander Eric Tennessen told KTLA that they were also deployed in the aftermath of the 2024 Mountain Fire to provide “a level of comfort for those residents who were still living in the area, knowing that the Sheriff’s Office had some extra eyes on the area.” 

Some COWs have gunshot detection sensors, which can help with triangulating the location of shootings, Harris told KTLA.

The Clovis Police adopted deployed a COW car last year, according to KSFN Fresno, where the multi-camera car would be posted, unattended, “at community events, high-traffic areas and places seeing crime spikes.”

So the next time you see blue lights in the sky, remember, the eye of the COW is always watching.

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