Video surveillance continues to be one of the best methods for apprehending criminals and convicting suspects who are caught in the act of committing a crime. Many business owners and residents currently operate surveillance systems at their businesses and/or homes. As crimes occur nearby, they are not always aware that their system may have captured information that could help solve the crime, thus keeping our community safer. In turn, the police are also not always aware who may have this potentially vital information.
The Hopewell Township Police Department (HTPD) has created a Community Camera Partnership Program called CAPTURE, which is a voluntary community safety initiative that allows both businesses and residents to partner with HTPD in the fight against crime throughout the Hopewell Valley community. Residents and business owners will now be able to register their surveillance system with HTPD and immediately become an invaluable asset in solving crimes in their neighborhood.
This is not an active surveillance program being operated by our department, and our department will not have direct access to any of the registered private camera systems. The completed registration information will be housed in a secure network managed by HTPD and your information will be kept confidential.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF REGISTERING YOUR CAMERA SYSTEM?
When a crime occurs in a neighborhood, the CAPTURE program will help our officers quickly identify nearby cameras that may have captured criminal activity. This footage will help establish leads, identify suspects and save valuable investigative time. After registering your camera, you will only be contacted by HTPD in the event of a crime occurring in the area of your camera coverage. By registering your systems exterior cameras, you can partner with us and our commitment to keeping the Hopewell Valley community safe.
As of right now, the registration forms will be on our website and the completed forms can be turned into the Police Department or emailed to [email protected]
Submitted by the Hopewell Township Police Department
