Home security cameras, once primarily used to protect individual properties, are now playing a significant role in solving crimes and enhancing community safety. The Boise Police Department highlights the importance of these devices in deterring criminal activity and aiding investigations. “Any sort of cameras can help police,” Boise Police Department Crime and Prevention Supervisor Ed Fritz said. “It might be your neighbor’s camera helps catch itself a crime at your house.”
The department encourages residents to register their cameras through a voluntary community partnership program. This initiative allows police to identify potential video evidence locations without accessing the cameras directly. “We just have access to knowing that they have the camera there and rely on them to be a good community partner,” Fritz explained.
The presence of visible cameras can deter potential criminals, as evidenced by instances where individuals have turned away upon noticing a camera. “What was their intention? We don’t know but after they saw that camera, it caused them to have an action which was walk away from the property,” the spokesperson noted…