A new initiative by the Vancouver Police Department brings up interesting questions about safety, privacy, and the notion that we are increasingly under surveillance in our camera-filled society.
The department has launched a program in which residents and businesses with security cameras can voluntarily register those cameras on the department’s website. The thought is that if a crime occurs and police are aware of a camera in the area, they can ask to view the footage.
“Video footage is extremely helpful in locating information about vehicles, people, timelines etc., when we are investigating crimes. The process, however, is slow as the officer has to drive or walk around an area looking for possible cameras and then attempt to contact the owner,” department spokeswoman Kim Kapp wrote to The Columbian in an email. “We don’t have any data on how many crimes are solved using video. But needless to say, it could be a very important component of a case, and the registration program would save valuable time by being able to know if a camera exists and having the contact information for the owner.”
Again, registration is voluntary and police do not have access to camera footage without requesting it from the owners. Those who register are asked to include information such as the location of a camera, how long recordings are stored, and the device’s field of view.
The idea of a registry is not unique to Vancouver. Police departments ranging from Portland to Cleveland to Boulder, Colo., and elsewhere have implemented similar systems. And the benefits are easy to see. Often, homeowners and business owners might not be aware that a crime occurred nearby and, therefore, would not inform police about the presence of a camera. With a registry, police can quickly determine if a camera can help lead to the identification of a perpetrator or provide evidence for prosecution.
Yet drawbacks are easy to see, as well. In an age when privacy is increasingly fleeting, many residents will be reluctant to share information about their security systems. Several comments on the Facebook page of the Vancouver Police Department likened the program to an Orwellian Big Brother or expressed concern that police would have access to footage without requesting it. Police stress that would not be the case; they would ask to see relevant footage — just as they do now when they are aware a camera is present.
It all makes for an interesting discussion. In an age when we are constantly being watched electronically, there is much room for philosophical dissertations about the benefits and costs of such a trend.
There also is room to question whether a court could compel a camera owner — who had voluntarily registered that camera — to turn over footage that might contain evidence of a crime and whether jurisdictions eventually will try to make registration mandatory.
But we’re probably getting ahead of ourselves. “The goal of this program is to empower residents by taking a communitywide approach to policing,” Vancouver Police Chief James McElvain said. “We are excited to take our community partnership efforts to the next level.”
That can be beneficial to the fight against crime. Preventing or prosecuting offenses is in the best interest of all residents, and the camera registration can play a role in that. With participation in the registry being voluntary, we hope the program helps police officers perform their jobs more effectively in keeping our community safe.
