The Madison Police Department has launched an effort to catalog the locations of private surveillance cameras so the video they produce can be more easily tapped in police investigations.
“This will provide investigators with quick contact information when they are searching for video evidence,” the department said in a statement posted online Tuesday. “Currently, officers and detectives need to canvass areas where crimes have occurred to see what cameras might be present. The process can be time-consuming and time is often of the essence when criminals are on the run.”
Owners of cameras can register them online. The city is asking for their locations, descriptions of the views they offer and information on whom to contact to get emergency access to recordings.
“This is increasing that partnership with the community to fight crime,” said police spokesman Joel DeSpain, as the explosion in surveillance cameras has provided police with a powerful investigatory tool.