Fort Worth

Rise in Surveillance Camera Registration After Abduction

Registering a camera tells police where it is located and does not give them access to the video feed

A Fort Worth Police Department program is gaining momentum and attention.

The department has a voluntary online registry of surveillance and doorbell cameras from around the city.

"It helps officers apprehend potential suspects and resolve cases quicker, especially when it is a dynamic situation when something important is going on," said Ivan Gomez, a police spokesman.

The usefulness of that footage became evident during a recent abduction of an 8-year-old girl in Fort Worth’s Fairmount community. Video from a neighbor's doorbell camera showed detectives the car used in the kidnapping, which helped find the suspect.

"After the incident we had last week, residents basically saw the importance of registering those cameras," Gomez said. "We've had an influx of people registering those cameras online and we think it is phenomenal."

"When we see video, the quicker we see it, the quicker we are able to locate victims, locate suspects, vehicles," Gomez added.

Police remind that registering your camera does not give them direct access to it. It only maps out where they are located.

"Residents will only be contacted if there is a criminal incident going on, so permission will be asked and it is only tied into a specific incident," Gomez said. "Your privacy is still going to be your privacy."

ONLINE: You can register your camera HERE.

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