Saint John police say home security cameras could help fight crime

Saint John police officers often go door-to-door in city neighbourhoods when they’re investigating crimes, asking residents if they have helpful information.

That might include their security camera footage that could be used in the evidence-gathering process.

It’s time-consuming work that could become easier with a new program called the Safe Neighbourhood Camera Registry, where people voluntarily register their home security cameras in a database accessible to police during investigations.

“We are looking to engage with community members, whether it be the residents or businesses that have exterior outward-facing cameras,” Staff Sgt. Shawna Fowler said. 

“When an incident takes place in their neighbourhood or close by, something that might be captured by their cameras, we would reach out to them and obtain copies of the evidence.”

Fowler says the registry would help them more efficiently manage multiple investigations.

“We've had those major cases this year where time is spent knocking on doors and looking and gathering information for our investigations,” Fowler said. “Being able to have a repository or a data registry program where we can, at our fingertips, find the information instead of being out there knocking on doors.”

When people registered their cameras, they would include information like the location and how long footage is stored. Officers could then reach out if they thought archived footage could help in their investigations.

They would not have access to live footage for people who have concerns about privacy, said Fowler.

“There's nothing plugged into your house or anything attached to your house, so the information that you are entering into the registry is the only information that we have,” Fowler said. “That doesn't give me a direct link to your camera."

Jen Brown Oliver, the executive director of the Carleton Community Centre on the west side of Saint John, said people will embrace the idea once they understand how it will help solve and prevent crime in their neighbourhoods.

“I think it will take a small incident or something like that, where they can see the benefit of it, because people are always wanting to help, and they're always offering,” she said.

“When you see things happen, people are like, ‘Oh, you check your cameras. Does someone have a camera?' And then other people are like, 'Sure, I'll check my camera.’ I think it could get there. I just think that it'll take some time.”

Many communities nationwide are participating in the national program and others like it.