Montgomery County councilmembers introduced a bill Tuesday for a private security camera incentive program that would provide rebates and vouchers for individuals and businesses to purchase their own security cameras.
A public hearing on the bill is set for July 12 at 1:30 p.m.
The idea of the program, which would be coordinated by the Montgomery County Police Department, is to deter crime and assist police officers in their investigations.
There were 32 homicides during 2021, according to Council President Gabe Albornoz. So far in 2022, there have been 15, and police have recovered 727 guns, he said.
“We’ve had an unfortunate number of incidents that have happened in the county,” said Councilmember Craig Rice, the bill’s lead sponsor. Video footage helps the police solve cases and also helps the county deter crime, he said.
“We’ve seen it stave off a number of incidents,” Rice said during the council’s Tuesday meeting. “It’s just a bill that is going to keep our community safe,” he said, adding, “Our police are in full support of this.”
Councilmember Will Jawanda called surveillance cameras “an important strategy to make sure we know what is happening and to keep the people safe.”
“This program will be a great resource for families and entrepreneurs who cannot afford to buy security cameras to protect their homes and small businesses from crime,” said Albornoz in a news release. “Unfortunately, Montgomery County has experienced a significant increase in violent crime these past few years, which has been exacerbated by the global pandemic.”
County police will create the application and maintain records of all cameras registered in the program. The rebates and vouchers will be distributed in priority areas where crime is the highest.
Councilmembers @RicePolitics & @MC_Council_Katz & Council President @albornoz_gabe introduce new legislation to create a Security Camera Incentive Program. 📰Read more: https://t.co/FKaYuWLlcK pic.twitter.com/d9W4F2X4Hn
— Montgomery Council (@MoCoCouncilMD) June 14, 2022
