In an early morning crash this month, a driver was rear-ended by another driver in Chamblee. Police say the first driver grabbed a handgun and fired 12 shots at the person whose car hit his, narrowly missing the motorist but striking the vehicle.
Thanks to a Ring doorbell camera in the area and a license plate reader, investigators, say, a suspect was quickly identified and charged with aggravated assault, criminal damage to property, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, cocaine possession and forgery.
The Ring company recently announced a change to its app that previously allowed law enforcement agencies to request and receive video from those with its cameras. But metro Atlanta agencies say they don’t expect the change to impact their investigations.
“Nothing is going to change because people can still share their videos with us,” Gwinnett County police spokesperson Sgt. Michele Pihera told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
So what’s changing? According to Ring, the “Request for Assistance” tool on the Neighbors app, launched in 2017, will no longer work for those with the popular doorbell cameras.
“Public safety agencies like fire and police departments can still use the Neighbors app to share helpful safety tips, updates and community events,” Ring posted in a blog. “They will no longer be able to use the RFA tool to request and receive video in the app.”
Police agencies, however, can still ask those with Ring cameras to review footage if it might have information pertinent to an investigation. Many agencies also have a program in place for those with cameras to register them, a form of community policing that can provide vital information when a crime occurs.
In Atlanta, those with security cameras can register them with Connect Atlanta. There are currently more than 16,000 cameras registered, according to the Atlanta Police Foundation.
“Registering cameras greatly enhances emergency preparedness by enabling police, fire and public safety professionals to better assess and rapidly respond to criminal activity and emergency situations,” Atlanta police spokesperson Officer John Predmore said. “It will also enable investigators to easily gather evidence in case of an incident.”
In recent years, security cameras have proved crucial for investigators.
Last May, cameras helped track the man accused of shooting several people inside a Midtown medical office into Cobb County, where he was arrested about eight hours later, according to police.
“Technology played a huge role,” Cobb police Chief Stuart VanHoozer said after Deion Patterson’s arrest. “If you rewind the hands of time four years, we probably would not be where we are right now. ... Those tools are really what got us the clues that we needed.”
On Friday, Atlanta police Chief Darin Schierbaum said investigators are hopeful someone’s security camera may have captured those responsible for starting a fire at a construction site tied to the planned training center.
“There is likely someone that is watching this news report now that has a Ring camera that is critical and is key to helping arrest this individual,” the chief said. “If this individual, individuals are not stopped soon, they are likely to cost someone their life.”
Many metro counties and cities have programs similar to ones in Atlanta and Cobb for those who chose to register their cameras. Connect DeKalb, Gwinnett Safe Communities, Connect Clayton County, Connect Cherokee, Paulding Sheriff’s Camera Connect, Henry Safer Together, and Connect Roswell are some of the collaborations already in place. Alpharetta, Milton, Kennesaw, Marietta, Lawrenceville, Sandy Springs, Dunwoody and South Fulton are among the cities with camera registration programs organized through their police departments.
In Athens, the police department is working on developing a “Real Time Crime Center” that will have an integrated camera system, according to a spokesperson. Savannah is also planning to expand its camera network.
Residents with security cameras can check with their local police agencies about how to register it. There isn’t a way for investigators to “spy” on those with surveillance cameras, authorities say.
“It does not give us access to the live feeds,” said Roswell police spokesperson Officer Tim Lupo, adding that the capability “just tells us where a camera is located and who to contact, so we can follow up more quickly and efficiently in the event of a public safety incident.”
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