Cook County Courts Camera Security Plan & Design

Level-1 designed and implemented IP-based surveillance and network upgrades across Cook County courthouses to enhance safety and resilience.

Cook County operates one of the largest unified court systems in the United States, encompassing everything from the 31-story Richard J. Daley Center to smaller branch courts like 111th & Wentworth. To bring its aging infrastructure in line with 2025 security expectations, the County undertook a multi-site initiative to modernize surveillance and network systems across all major courthouses. 

Level-1 Global Solutions was selected as part of an engineering team to lead this transformation, planning and implementing intelligent security upgrades tailored to each facility’s size, layout, and operational profile. From the atrium corridors of the Skokie Courthouse to the high-volume holding areas at 26th & California, we delivered integrated systems that close security gaps, modernize monitoring infrastructure, and ensure reliable, high-resolution camera coverage for public, judicial, and restricted spaces. 

Each facility included the design of structured cabling, resilient network infrastructure, and IP camera systems designed to meet U.S. Department of Homeland Security guidelines. Our designs accounted for courtroom circulation, inter-agency access requirements, elevator and perimeter visibility, and privacy considerations for sensitive zones. In larger courthouses like Markham and Bridgeview, we designed infrastructure for a vast number of cameras supported by fiber and gigabit infrastructure. In smaller branch courts like 111th Street, we seamlessly integrated new security systems into shared law enforcement facilities. 

What We Delivered 

• Full-system design and deployment of IP-based video surveillance in 6+ major courthouse facilities 
• Structured cabling, network infrastructure, and server room upgrades across each site 
• Security coverage for critical zones including courtrooms, corridors, parking, sally ports, and public entrances 
• Custom camera layouts for vulnerable areas like children’s rooms, holding cells, and high-traffic corridors 
• Real-time monitoring systems with motion detection, alert triggers, and remote viewing integration 
• Duress and alarm integration with live-feed escalation to law enforcement or court security 
• Compliance with Homeland Security standards and County cybersecurity policies 
• Scalable infrastructure for future expansion, including high-bandwidth fiber backbones and PoE switching 

This project established a unified, interoperable, and future-ready foundation for courthouse safety across Cook County. By tailoring each solution to the building’s architecture, use case, and agency stakeholders, Level-1 helped elevate the entire justice system’s ability to protect the public, support court personnel, and maintain secure, efficient operations throughout Cook County’s courthouse network.