In news from the Dickinson Press, the Dickinson ND Police Department has launched what it is calling a SCRAM (Surveillance Camera Registration and Mapping) program. PD officials feel the program will help the PD to solve crimes with the voluntary help of those security-conscious homes and businesses with registered and mapped cameras in place.

The story notes that the program would allow police to maintain an updated map of those home and business owners that have pubic facing security cameras (doorbell cams, parking lot cams, etc.) and are willing to possibly share footage that may contain clues to committed crimes.

In the face of initial Big Brother-type criticism, police officials were quick to assure that the program does not grant them remote access to participating cameras but only tells them where people willing to share their footage have cameras installed so officers can more effectively reach out for requests to see the footage.

“It’s just another way of compiling data that’s going to help us speed things along and identify those users who want to help as much as they can, as well,”  one DPD official said in the story. “I think [those who are worried] think our capabilities are more than they truly are. Some think once they register their system that we have remote access to their footage, and that’s certainly not the case nor do we want anything to do with anything like that.”

Norris has cited this trend previously when it wrote about a rise in video surveillance being a boon to police, and also about Ring conducting a program in conjunction with many police departments.

Regardless of how you feel about the trend of police more regularly leveraging private surveillance infrastructure, the life=safety and security experts at Norris can explain all the latest technology to you and get your enterprise outfitted with the right system for you, to keep you and your personnel, customers, students, visitors safe.

Drop Norris a line today and find out how we can help to keep you safe.

What is Norris all about?

Norris, Inc.—a South Portland, Maine-based life-safety and security systems integrator with satellite offices in Bangor, Maine; Lee, New Hampshire; and Burlington, Vermont—was founded nearly 40 years ago by two brothers, Brad and Harty Norris. The brothers remain on the board of directors today and continue to help steer the enterprise toward its goal of advancing life-safety, security, and communications while striving to grow in its status as Northern New England’s leading systems integrator. Norris provides fully integrated life-safety and security solutions, comprising disparate systems including fire alarm, intrusion detection, access control, video surveillance, communications, and emergency notification and total systems integration via the Vigilance Systems Integration Engine and ENS. Want to become part of the Norris family? We’re hiring!