- Apr 30, 2019
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- Category:Surveillance Camera and Access Control
Solve or Detour Crime On Your Campus using These Tips
Security cameras are a powerful crime deterrent, with the mere presence of security cameras resulting in up to 50% reductions in crime
However, what about after the crime occurs? Are security cameras really that helpful in providing evidence that allows law enforcement to solve crimes?
The answer is yes. Security cameras are known to be one of the best tools that police have available to them when they’re seeking to investigate cases. Law enforcement has used security cameras to help solve crimes ranging from drunk driving to kidnapping and murder. In this article, we’ll take a look at three of the ways that you having a quality business security camera system can help law enforcement solve crimes.
- Security Cameras Provide Hard Evidence
One of the trickiest parts of investigating crimes for law enforcement officers can be finding hard evidence that is objective and doesn’t run the risk of being tainted by personal opinion or error (like with eyewitness testimony). Security cameras are one of the prime ways that police might be able to obtain evidence that is reliable and provides multiple types of useful information.
For example, by reviewing security camera footage, law enforcement might be able to verify whether a suspect was in a given area at a particular time and what direction they were heading. That information can help direct the next steps in an investigation and give officers something concrete to work off of. With security cameras, law enforcement doesn’t have to operate solely on guesswork; they can use security camera footage to confirm that the investigation is headed in the right direction.
- Security Cameras Help Corroborate Other Types of Evidence
Security cameras are invaluable to law enforcement when they are trying to determine the accuracy of other types of evidence. If they have a statement from a witness in the area of the crime that includes a suspect description, investigators can cross-reference the security cameras to verify whether someone matching that description was in the vicinity of the crime at the appropriate time.
Security cameras can also help law enforcement officers confirm that they have the correct fact pattern based on the physical evidence at the scene of the crime. One example of this would be if somebody broke into a business. At the crime scene, officers might note that one of the windows is broken and there is glass on the floor of the business, indicating that the window was likely broken from the outside. From that, investigators might surmise that the suspect gained access to the business by breaking the window and entering that way. When security cameras are available, law enforcement can use the surveillance footage to corroborate their theory and ensure that they haven’t misinterpreted any of the other evidence. Having both security camera footage and other types of evidence builds a much stronger case, which means higher conviction rates and greater consequences for people who commit crimes.
- Security Cameras Provide Consistent, 24/7 Surveillance
One of the challenges for law enforcement, when they investigate crimes, is that there are not always reliable eyewitnesses who can provide statements about what happened. With security cameras, that problem is pretty much eradicated. The majority of security cameras operate 24/7, which means that there will be a record of any activity in the camera’s view no matter what time of day or night it is. Depending on the type of cameras that are in use, there may also be high-quality night vision footage available, or even footage that is high definition and can capture minute details like license plates. One study found that surveillance camera footage was used in 86 of the 90 murder cases that occurred in the jurisdiction over the course of a year.
Having a known, reliable source for visual evidence can be a huge help to law enforcement when they are investigating crimes in the area! The benefit of this type of access to possible evidence is substantial enough that many police departments are working on increasing the number of public and private surveillance cameras in their jurisdiction, with some cities installing as many as 30,000 cameras.
Conclusion
Investing in security cameras for your business can do more than just protect your company. Your security camera footage might benefit law enforcement professionals who are working on solving crimes—including crimes that directly impacted your business and crimes that occurred in the broader community. High-quality security camera systems can help provide law enforcement with hard evidence for their investigation, a way of corroborating other types of evidence, and a reliable source for objective information about what happened in a particular area at any given time. If you’re interested in taking the benefit to law enforcement into account when selecting and installing your business security camera system, be sure to chat with a professional commercial security camera installer so that they can help advise you on what cameras and system features will give you the most bang for your buck and support law enforcement officers in doing their jobs.
About the Author
As datanet IT, our experts specialize in working with clients to design tailored security solutions. If you want more information on the business security camera systems that we offer, feel free to reach out to us today and we’re happy to work with you to ensure your company is protected! If you wish to be contacted about a security camera install, please fill out thisform.