Timmins police invite people to join database of property owners with security cameras

Const. Dave Wilkie says CAMsafe is a tool to help police save time when canvassing neighbourhoods for security footage to help solve crimes. (Lydia Chubak/CTV News)

The Timmins Police Service has launched the CAMsafe progam, a new online tool to help investigators solve crimes.

CAMsafe is a volunteer-based registry of people and business owners that use security video cameras and doorbell cameras on their properties.

Const. Dave Wilkie said he recognized the advantages the program would have, did some research and approached Timmins police to consider using the program locally.

Police don’t access the footage without first consulting the owner of the security cameras. And Wilke said there is no onus on anyone to provide security footage to police -- this is just a way that officers can save time.

“If there's a serious incident in the area, we would log into the CAMsafe website on the police site and we … would pull up … their name, their phone number, address and email, and how many cameras they have on the property,” said Wilkie.

“The officer would reach out to that individual and ask them if they could assist by providing video footage similar to what we do now when we come in, knock on your door.”

When a crime occurs, police can check the area for CAMsafe participants to see if it was captured on cam.

Wilkie said participation in the CAMsafe program is free and voluntary and people are invited to register on their own on the CAMsafe website. 

He said it does not give police immediate access to anyone’s footage.

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