DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — After DeKalb County launched a new program back in April aimed at making the community more safe by registering home surveillance cameras for police use, they are still trying to bring more into their new system.
Connect DeKalb County's website launched in April and has two levels: Residents can register their cameras or integrate their cameras, all in an effort to help make home video surveillance cameras anywhere in the county a community resource.
So far, they have close to 900 cameras registered with the program. This means investigators can reach out to a camera owner if they need help solving a crime.
Although nearly 900 have been registered, more than 400 have already been integrated into the system, meaning camera owners give police direct access to their feed in case of a nearby emergency.
Though that may sound impressive, DeKalb County Commissioner Lorraine Cochrane-Johnson said that's just scratching the surface.
"We've had experiences where over the course of a night, 10 businesses were violated on one street, one corridor," Cochrane-Johnson said. "And it's only through these types of programs that we have neem able to connect the dots and quickly apprehended individuals who are perpetrators."
She authored the proposal which put "Connect DeKalb County" in place and said a rise in violent crimes and said a rise in violent crimes makes getting as many cameras signed up not an option, but a necessity.
Those looking to take it a step further can directly give the police department access to their camera feed in case of a nearby emergency. Businesses and residents would have to buy a CORE device that plugs into an existing camera system.
Their cheapest option is $350.00, giving buyers up to four cameras, 512GB storage and a software/hardware warranty. The price includes an annual subscription. The subscription is $150 yearly.