PORTSMOUTH, Va. — We're getting a look at how technology is helping local law enforcement crack down on crime.
Almost a year after Portsmouth Police began asking residents to register their home surveillance cameras with the department, detectives say the program is now a key part of their investigations.
Something as simple as a doorbell camera is helping police solve crimes in Portsmouth.
Nearly 100 residents are registered with the Portsmouth Connect program, an effort the city's police department launched last summer to keep track of camera locations in the community.
People can register their home surveillance cameras, existing or new, with police. Community partners, such as housing complexes, businesses and schools, can also allow the city to access their surveillance feeds as part of the platform.
In case of crime, police will reach out to homeowners in the area for any video footage, and those individuals can choose whether to provide access to authorities. Residents and businesses also have the option to give the department direct access to their camera feed in case of a nearby emergency.
"Simply registering that you have a camera allows us to go ahead and make contact with that person," said Sgt. Michael Blankenship of the Portsmouth Police Department.
Blankenship leads special projects for the Portsmouth Police Department, and that includes the department's real-time crime center. A small team specializes in surveillance footage on more than 400 cameras across the city, which includes video feeds from surveillance trailers, police cars in service and even active body-worn cameras.
The police department pays nearly $125,000 per year for a platform called Fusus. The system consolidates all video feeds connected to the city into one network.
“They say a picture is worth a thousand words. How much is a video worth," said Blankenship.
Portsmouth is just one of the Hampton Roads cities tapping into technology.
Recently, police in Virginia Beach announced plans to use similar technology, asking people in the community to register their cameras to help fight crime.
Like in Portsmouth, residents must volunteer and the program does not give direct access to personal camera devices but it helps to reduce critical time in investigations, which Blankenship says has played a key role in gathering leads.
“The sergeants in charge of these investigative units are saying they use the services quite a lot to all the time," said Blankenship.