Home surveillance cameras are everywhere and Leawood Police want to take advantage of them to help solve crime.
“We just want to leverage this technology so it works for us so we can help solve these crimes, so we can bring resolution to these victims and find the perpetrators,” Captain Brad Robbins said.
The program is called C.A.P.T.U.R.E -- Community And Police Team Up to Record Evidence. Robbins says this is a nationwide program, and the department implemented it in March.
“It’s to get people and businesses who have surveillance cameras and register them with us so if we do have a crime in your neighborhood, we know that we can knock on your door and check with you to see if you have any footage,” Robbins said.
By registering online, police say they’re able to quickly call or email, rather than canvassing the area and door knocking.
“As a homeowner, here in Johnson County, I have a surveillance system on my home,” Johnson County resident, Steven Nickell said. “If the police were to come to me if there was a crime committed anywhere, I would want to be able to participate the best that I can to catch any of those criminals.”
Officers say with this program it can cut down on time and allow citizens to help solve crimes.
“I think that there will probably be a little pushback from people who are nervous,” Nickell said. “But I think, overall, police are going to use it in an effective manner to help solve crime.”
Robbins says roughly three dozen homes and 700 businesses are registered for this program.
“Whoever registers their system, they still maintain complete control over that video until they release it to us and then even then, we're going to safeguard it and protect their identity,” Robbins said.
KCPD is also looking to implement this program in the near future. For more information about the program, clickhere.
