WBALTV 11: Cameras on Ma and Pa Trail in Harford County equipped with artificial intelligence technology

By: Tommie Clark, WBALTV 11 Reporter

BEL AIR, Md. — Security changes installed along the Ma and Pa Trail in Harford County include the use of cameras equipped with artificial intelligence.

County officials are revealing the additions about a week ahead of the one-year mark since Rachel Morin’s killing.

Officials said 26 security cameras installed in November along the trail use AI to quickly detect unusual activity and find a specific person or vehicle of interest.

But safety enhancements go beyond cameras to include a “Be aware everywhere” campaign to help walkers and runners better protect themselves.

Josh Levinson, the founder and CEO of Charm City Run, encourages people to walk or run with a buddy and to be prepared with the right tools, from wearing reflective vests to having personal safety alarms.

“Be loud and proud. When you’re being loud and you’re listening to music, make sure you have a product like Shocks, that’s a bone-conduction technology. It’s unbelievable sound. I have no idea how it works. Smart people really put this together, and you can hear … cars and any danger,” Levinson told 11 News.

Levinson said fitness is empowering, and in order for it to stay that way, people should keep safety at the top of mind.

“I think one of the things about safety is, we are very nice and trusting people. So, we don’t think anything bad is going to happen,” Levinson told 11 News. “What the key is, and what our law enforcement friends always tell us, if you’re not comfortable, it’s OK to hit the ripcord. Just do it the moment you don’t feel comfortable.”

A suspect in the Morin case, Victor Martinez-Hernandez, 23, of El Salvador, was arrested in June on first-degree murder and rape charges.