Area businesses and residents can now use their outdoor cameras to help the Lafayette County Sheriff’s Office fight crime.
Launched late last year, the Sheriff’s Security Registration and Mapping Surveillance Camera Registry Program (S.C.R.A.M.) allows individuals to register the locations of their video surveillance systems with the Sheriff’s Office. When I crime occurs, deputies and investigators can then use the registry to identify the locations of nearby video cameras to help collect evidence.
“Video footage is some of the most crucial evidence our officers can collect,” says Lafayette County Sheriff Joey East. “Even when your cameras don’t record a crime directly, they may record important clues – such as a car passing by – that can help guide an investigation.”
Signing up for the S.C.R.A.M. program is completely voluntary and does not require citizens to provide their footage to police. Officers can only view the footage at the home or business owner’s discretion. Also, the Sheriff’s Department will not share registration information with others.
As more and more residents and business owners sign up, East believes it will help officers on the ground cut down some of the time it takes to solve crimes.
“This program will allow citizens to play a part in keeping their community safe,” says Lafayette County Sheriff Joey East. “It’s just another way we are working to create community-law enforcement agency partnerships within the county.”
