Title
Orland Park Police Department’s Voluntary Security Camera Registration Program
History
The Orland Park Police Department would like to develop a voluntary security camera registration program that allows local citizens and businesses to assist in crime prevention and crime solving efforts. A crucial factor of Community Policing is getting the community involved and personally invested in these efforts.
The voluntary program will allow these Village stakeholders an opportunity to provide assistance to the police by using footage from security cameras that they own. This program does not allow the Police Department access to their cameras, it only provides information that a camera is present at their home or business and how to contact someone for access to the footage.
Traditionally, one of the first steps in a criminal investigation is to canvass the area for security cameras, which may have recorded relevant information for the police. During this phase of the investigation, an officer will walk or drive through an area looking for residences and businesses that have security cameras. While this program will not eliminate the need to perform this step, it will allow an officer to have immediate information that someone has a camera in the area. If a business happens to be closed, officers would now have contact information with the business owner and/or operator of the camera system, which are sometimes mutually exclusive.
Often times on initial residential canvasses, owners are not home when contact is initiated. Officers could now contact the known resident, who may be able to transfer the camera footage via text or email to the officer. This would save valuable time and assist in solving crimes more efficiently and effectively.
In recent years, technology has become a very important factor in solving crime. Security camera systems have decreased in price and have become much more user-friendly. Because of this, many more businesses and citizens h...
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