Police looking for participants for new SafeCam program

In hopes of solving and deterring crime, police are asking residents and businesses for some assistance.

As several homeowners and businesses utilize their own security systems, Bradenton Police say those systems may provide helpful information to solve crimes across the city.

Police are asking residents and businesses across the city to voluntarily register their privately owned surveillance camera systems with the department’s SafeCam program to help police identify suspects and increase apprehension rates.

The registration takes about 10 minutes, police said in a release Friday. There is no cost to register and information provided — including basic information with details on where their cameras are pointed — will be confidential. A member of the department will personally follow up to confirm registration. Those who register can request to stop their registration at any time.

Participants will only be contacted in the future if there is a criminal incident in the area of registered security cameras. If necessary, police may request a copy of any video captured by the registered cameras if it is believed it may assist in the investigation of a crime, according to the release.

Participants can also deny police access to their registered camera systems at any time, as the program doesn’t guarantee BPD the right to information recorded on the cameras, according to the release.

The information provided to the police is protected and exempt from public records requests.

Anyone that is interested in participating in this program may register at www.cityofbradenton.com/safecam.

Registration cards are also available at the BPD main station.

This story was originally published June 23, 2017 at 9:12 PM with the headline "Police looking for participants for new SafeCam program."