OKCPD asking public to register cameras to help solve crime
OKLAHOMA CITY, Ok (KFOR) — You can help detectives solve crimes in the city faster by building their database of security cameras across Oklahoma City. It's in partnership with OKCPD's Real Time Information Center, which went live in 2023.
"It's a monitoring center for our officers to use," said SGT. Dillon Quirk, Oklahoma City Police Department.
The Real Time Information Center at OKCPD allows officers to look at cameras during an active crime or help solve a case.
"Maybe if there's a car that's stolen or any type of any type of crime that's going on, we're able to monitor or help our patrol officers out, get to that area or follow a suspect if they've fled the area," said SGT. Quirk.
The cameras helped solve a case back in January when a suspect stole a car from the Omni hotel and crashed it in the backyard of someone's house. Officers tracked the car during the police chase using the cameras.
"In the Real Time Information Center, we're doing things live, in real-time while it's happening," said Shelby H., a crime analyst at OKCPD.
To help solve cases faster, police are asking you to register your home or business camera in their system.
"It lets us know that the cameras are there at the residences so we don't have to knock door to door and figure out if a crime has taken place in that area," said SGT. Quirk.
The department also said that just because your camera is registered to them, doesn't mean they can take video without you knowing.
"We still have to obtain that footage from them, either by an email or in some some other way," said SGT. Quirk.
Including your camera in their database is just one option. There's another option that directly allows the department to see the live feed.
"The integration is more of the business side. You register a device through a third party, you link it to your cameras that you already have, and that way we're able to access live feeds," said SGT. Quirk.
SGT. Quirk said if a business owner calls police and said they were being robbed, officers can see it happening in real-time and may solve the crime quicker.
With either option of registering a camera, officers said it can help them bridge the gap when a suspect may not be spotted on a main security camera, but might be nearby.
"We can pull up the feed to that house or that business and figure out maybe where they went or how that unfolded from that point," said SGT. Quirk.
Police said they want to reassure Oklahomans they will not access the cameras anytime outside of a crime in that area. It's also completely voluntary.
The department said have been registering their cameras since 2023 since the Real Time Information Center first opened.
To register your camera in their database, click here.