Cops want businesses, residents, to register security cams
West Lampeter Township Police Chief Brian Wiczkowski unveiled a surveillance camera registry in the hope businesses and residents would voluntairly register their private security cameras with the department.
By Barbara Barr
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WEST LAMPETER TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — The West Lampeter Township Police Department in Lancaster County is creating a surveillance camera registry.
“The registry is a way for us just to be aware and alerted of what surveillance camera – private surveillance cameras – are out there,” Chief Brian Wiczkowski said.
West Lampeter Township police are asking residents and business owners with cameras to fill out an online form on the department’s Crimewatch page.
“It’s entirely voluntary if they want to register cameras with us or not. There’s no way for us to live feed anything,” Wiczkowski said.
Along with ensuring privacy, the chief said registering does not mean residents have to share any video with police.
The information does give police the location and owner of the camera.
“I certainly understand the concern people may have of the big brother, but just to reiterate, we are not accessing any of that data,” Wiczkowski said.
There are about 16,000 residents in West Lampeter Township.
Home surveillance cameras are becoming more common.
Police said knowing where the cameras are can help save time during investigations, which could make the difference in making an arrest.
“We ask the public all the time to be the eyes and ears. They have those cameras. Sometimes they’ll catch a crime in progress. Sometimes they’ll just capture a person, the suspect, walking in or leaving an area,” Wiczkowski said.
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