WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — In a time when surveillance and doorbell cameras seem to be everywhere, the Winston-Salem Police Department is asking homeowners and business owners who have them to get connected.
Technology can be a helpful tool for just about everyone.
Business owners in Brooktown Center are using security cameras to help them keep an eye out for unwanted guests.
Darrell Garner owns the By Good Coffee shop in Winston-Salem.
“It’s important for business owners to know what’s going on in the community. You have to be aware of what’s on in the community,” Garner said.
While he doesn’t see a lot of crime, he said it does happen, which is why he has seven security cameras around his building to keep an eye out for things.
“We have some things where some windows have been broken … or breaking people’s cars or maybe a broken a window or maybe somebody’s tires might have got slashed,” Garner said.
Winston-Salem officers can use his cameras to gather the information they need to figure out who is behind what’s happening.
Garner is part of the city’s Get Connected initiative.
It allows business owners to share their security camera feed with the police department.
“It’s important to us because we connect with the community,” Garner said.
Sharing your feed can improve response time and help keep you safer by providing more details about a situation.
The initiative kicked off in 2020. So far, around 1,400 businesses have signed up to participate.
Connect Winston-Salem also offers homeowners a way to register their Ring cameras or other security cameras with the department.
Registering your camera only allows officers to reach out and ask for your video if a crime happens in the area.
In the city, around 700 home security cameras are registered.
If you would like to register, click here.
