To help reduce crime, the Montgomery County Police asks residents to voluntarily register their home security cameras and let police know they are willing to be contacted should a crime occur nearby.
The new program is called MoCoConnect and is a collaboration between the county police and Fusus by Axon.
According to Police Chief Marc Yamada, the program allows for camera integration so businesses can share live video with police in real time.
“The department is always looking for ways to work collaboratively with the community to prevent, detect, and deter crime. This is a great way for members of the public, business community, and residents alike to be active participants in keeping our communities safe,” he said.
The program will keep police informed as the department faces “unprecedented staffing shortfalls,” he said.
All officers can access the information, but the camera footage primarily will be used by the Violent Crime Information Center during criminal events and the Managed Search Operations Team while locating missing persons.
According to Acting Assistant Chief David McBain, “This program is not about violating individual privacy or being a ‘big brother.’ No one will be required to share anything with us unless they want to.”
He added, “It’s no different than a business giving us a login account to see their cameras. It just lets us do it easier—with more protections and control over what we are allowed to view and when we can see it. There are a lot of people in our communities, especially our religious communities, who are concerned—they want to be able to be part of the solution to protect their communities.”
To register a camera, the owner must fill out an online form. Registering is free. However, it will cost to integrate cameras.
Chief Marc Yamada has announced the launch of MoCoConnect, the Department’s community camera sharing program. #MCPD #MCPNews https://t.co/96FxTXMg8c pic.twitter.com/e5UBTB14Y4
— Montgomery County Department of Police (@mcpnews) July 24, 2024
