Alberta RCMP expands new video camera registry across the province 

By Irene van der Kloet 

The RCMP works with the public to reduce crime. As an expansion to their crime-reducing programs, the Alberta RCMP are excited to announce that their voluntary surveillance camera registry program, called CAPTURE (Community Assisted Policing Through the Use of Recorded Evidence), is now province-wide. Residents and businesses that have video surveillance and are willing to share video camera footage when requested, can sign up. This initiative won’t replace officers from knocking on doors, but it will help officers track down video evidence in ongoing criminal investigations in RCMP jurisdictions. The program aims to reduce an officer’s time spent searching for and gathering video evidence when conducting an investigation. The CAPTURE program allows a person or business to upload a portion of the video requested. This allows the officer to evaluate the video footage before requesting a copy. From there, a person can enter their contact information and video cameras on the secure site. This information is not available to the public. If an officer needs to contact the person, they will do so using the information provided. Things to know about the program: The program is entirely voluntary, and consent can be withdrawn at any time; registering a camera and contact information allows the RCMP to see a list of security cameras so they can contact the owners during an investigation; the video footage on the camera remains the owner’s property; the RCMP will not have live access to a person’s camera feed. They will only ask for recorded videos; the video footage can be shared through the website for an officer to view before deciding if the video will help in their investigation; an officer can provide a person with a USB thumb drive to copy the video. An officer cannot download the video; they can only view it. This strategy is another way the Alberta RCMP works with communities to help solve crime faster. By providing video footage to police during an investigation, communities increase the chance of a successful prosecution. For more information on this program or to sign up, please visit the website at www.ruralalbertacapture.ca.