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Tech-enabled community-police collaborations for crime-solving

Watch the webinar here.

In a recent Blue Line webinar, S/Sgt. Jeremy Ashley of the Belleville Police Service leads a discussion on tech-enabled community police collaborations for crime-solving. His focus is on the CAMSafe program, initiated by the Belleville Police Service in 2021.

CAMSafe is a community-driven video registry program designed to connect law enforcement with individuals and businesses willing to share surveillance footage for crime-solving. Notably, there is no cost associated with the program, and it operates on a voluntary basis. The goal is to empower the public to partner with the police in solving crimes by bridging the gap between available technology (such as CCTV cameras) and law enforcement.

The program’s public side allows residents and businesses to register their cameras, providing as much or as little information as they are comfortable sharing. This information is stored securely and can be accessed by law enforcement when needed for investigations.

S/Sgt. Ashley highlights the benefits of CAMSafe, emphasizing its efficiency in streamlining the process of obtaining video evidence. The law enforcement side of CAMSafe provides officers with a map-based view of registered cameras, facilitating the identification of potential sources of evidence. The map is shared among all participating law enforcement agencies, promoting collaboration and eliminating silos in crime investigations.

Looking ahead, S/Sgt. Ashley discusses the long-term vision for CAMSafe, including seeking a not-for-profit partner and sustainable funding. The program’s ultimate goal is to create safer communities by fostering collaboration between law enforcement and the public through proactive crime prevention efforts.

Thank you to our webinar sponsor, Genetec.