Grapevine police are encouraging people to register their security cameras with the department as part of a new program they hope will give them more resources for their investigations.
The community camera program, which launched Monday, already has more than a dozen people registered.
Police say registering the cameras will allow officers to quickly identify any cameras in an immediate area that may have captured important information regarding a crime.
"It's strictly voluntary, it's just a community outreach program, a crime prevention program," said Sgt. Robert Eberling, with the Grapevine Police Department. "We want to set up and have it as an available resource for us and an extra tool if you will that we can use to capture individuals committing criminal activity."
Grapevine resident Jon Alessandro has had cameras on his home for about three years, and says he registered his cameras with the police department quickly after receiving an email this week about the program.
He sees the value in the program after his neighbor alerted him to some vandalism in the area about a year ago.
"I was talking to my neighbor because I didn't even know that that had happened. He mentioned the day that was within my time frame on my camera," Alessandro said. "I went back and looked, and sure enough I saw some people, and so I called it in and had them come out and gave them footage."
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Eberling said so far the reaction has been good.
"It's advertised, it's completely voluntary, we're not out there trying to determine who has got cameras and who doesn't just for a simple over-watch situation from the government," Eberling said. "We are just strictly looking for crime-fighting tool to help us out."
To register, visit the city of Grapevine website.
