Concord PD makes progress on resident’s security camera registry
CONCORD, CA (April 24, 2023) — The Concord Police Department has additional help available, thanks to residents and business owners who have registered hundreds of cameras that could help solve crimes.
The department launched a program that asks residents and business owners to voluntarily register their security cameras in order to create a map of locations with private video surveillance.
“We have 207 camera locations registered, including six businesses and 201 residences,” Concord Police Sgt. Adam Hart said. “We’re still building, but I would consider that to be pretty good for a young program like this.”
The registry allows officers investigating crimes in a specific area to immediately contact people who are already willing to share any images or videos, taking out the step of canvassing door-to-door and asking who might have video, Hart said.
“This doesn’t give us any access to anybody’s camera or video,” Hart said. “If a crime occurs, officers are able to pull up the register to quickly identify those willing to share video. Even then, residents would be contacted, as police have no direct access to any footage.”
Registration
The online registration, through the police department’s website, identifies the terms of agreement and states clearly that “registering your security camera information simply lets us know that you may be willing to share your camera’s footage.”
“Even if people register their cameras, it doesn’t mean they have to share video,” Hart emphasized. “It just gives us an option to ask.”
Police used the camera registry in March, when major crimes unit detectives investigated a homicide. Hart said a suspect was identified, but he was unaware of the extent to which cameras assisted with the case.
The department’s terms and use agreement also states that “under no circumstances shall the Concord Police Department utilize any information obtained to view footage/feeds directly from cameras owned by registrants. An individual’s personal information will be kept confidential by the department unless subject to disclosure by court order.”
Concord resident Jennifer Krnich said she supports the effort of the voluntary registry, but she doesn’t believe the registry should be the only way police contact residents or investigate crimes.
“It makes sense and I would (register) if it would help my neighbors,” said Krnich, who lives near the Concord BART station. She added that she shared video of a crime on her street prior to the voluntary registry.
“I understand the efficiency, but I’d also appreciate the door-knocking to seek information and to let us know what is known about an incident,” Krnich said. “I still want conversation and communication to happen.”
For more information go to www.cityofconcord.org/1001/Community-Camera-Registry.
Read more stories by Karen Jenkins.
Karen Jenkins
Karen Jenkins is pleased to be a correspondent with the Concord Clayton Pioneer News. She has worked as a community journalist on and off for three decades at publications including the Contra Costa Sun in Lamorinda; the Antioch Daily Ledger; the Avon-Beaver Creek Times in Colorado; Roll Call in Washington, D.C. and the Daily Nexus at UC-Santa Barbara. She is also the student advisor for The Sentinel, the student newspaper at Northgate High School in Walnut Creek. She may be reached at Karenjenkins241@gmail.com.