With all the packages being delivered this Christmas season, we thought it was a good idea to remind our residents and businesses about our cooperative effort to combat and identify suspects who may be looking for a quick shopping season from your house, business or vehicle.
As in other professions, nothing is changing law enforcement more than technology. The growth of the video camera market has provided an opportunity for law enforcement to gain additional video evidence in crime investigation. Privately owned video cameras in commercial establishments have provided valuable video evidence of suspects in the act of committing a crime. In a similar way, the popularity of video doorbells has created a network of privately owned cameras in residential areas. The MFPD has established the Community Camera Co-Op, private camera owners in the Village who are willing to make video available to the police if it captures evidence of a crime. Here’s how it works:
1. Registering your camera with the Menomonee Falls Police Department (MFPD) is voluntary. If an incident occurs in your neighborhood, MFPD may request to view your camera footage to see if it may assist in an investigation.
2. Any and all video surveillance footage shall continue to remain your property until it is requested by MFPD and collected by law enforcement.
3. Footage from your security camera containing or related to criminal activity collected by MFPD and/or its law enforcement partners is for official use only and could be used as evidence.
4. Under no circumstances shall participants act as an agent and/or employee of the Menomonee Falls Police Department or any of its law enforcement partners through this program.
5. MFPD will only disclose information you provide in registering your camera if required to do so by the Wisconsin Public records Law, any other law or a court order.
6. This program is voluntary and you may withdraw your registration from the Community Camera Program at any time by calling the Menomonee Falls Police Department.
You can learn more about the program here:
https://www.menomonee-falls.org/1232/Community-Camera-Co-Op
You can register your camera here:
https://www.menomonee-falls.org/FormCenter/Police-Department-4/Community-Camera-COOP-Registration-44