The St. Charles County Police Department has adopted a community-based method for addressing crime, asking residents and business owners to be proactive with their security cameras. The Community Camera Program is designed to help reduce the time required to investigate criminal incidents. According to St. Charles County, individuals who enroll in the program indicate that they are willing to provide video footage when crimes occur nearby.
Participants in the program may be contacted by the department to determine whether their audio, video, or image recordings could assist with active investigations. This cooperation has helped locate suspects in cases involving minor crimes, such as vehicle break-ins and package thefts. “We’ve had a significant number of cases where we’ve been able to identify leads or cut down on chasing other potential suspects because of the information we’ve received through the Community Camera Program,” Bayles said in an official statement. According to the department, the outreach effort helps reduce investigative time and may also serve as a deterrent to crime in St. Charles County.
Community members and business owners can find additional information, including registration details for the Community Camera Program, on the program’s webpage. In St. Charles County, the program offers a way for residents to share security-related information with law enforcement when applicable.
