Vegas SafeCam: We All Have To Watch Out for Each Other!

This article is from the Community Interests magazine. The author, Steve Candelas, is a retired LVMPD Police Lieutenant, and founder of Tactical Real Estate Solutions.

When you look back into the past and see how technology has evolved through time, it’s amazing, to say the least. We use it in our daily lives to capture moments in time, connect with those who are halfway around the world, or store volumes of information, literally, in the space the size of our fingertip.

Before the age of video and audio recorders, we only had our memories to rely on. As technology advances and becomes affordable, the availability to own cell phones, tablets, and other handheld devices becomes easily obtainable. Now, everyone can be a reporter of the world around them. Someone may say to you, “You aren’t going to believe what I just saw; look, I videoed it!”

The story might have sounded unbelievable, impossible, or fictitious to you; but the moment the “play button” is hit you become an instant believer because now you are seeing it - a witness with your own eyes. Look how social media has exploded into our lives! The easier question is: Who doesn’t have a Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat account?

By nature, many of us are visual people. We are instantly gratified, or horrified, by what is placed in front of our eyes. But the curiosity keeps us coming back for more. Do you remember when you took your first “selfie” with your phone? Seems normal now, right? From a marketing perspective, a post on social media gains more response with a video rather than just words. Video is a very powerful tool!

I ask this question to you: “Can we use this video technology for a greater good?” I’m sure many of your answers were: “Of course we can!” But are you, your family, friends, or neighbors being pro-active with that response? Everyone loves to talk about being a big supporter of safety and awareness, but it’s the action part where many of us fall short.

When you see the news today, isn’t it the video or visual depictions of a story that hook you? The old saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” still holds true. Video of an incident tells a hundred times more than that. In my eight years as a Detective Sergeant in the Robbery Detail, we always responded to casinos, retail stores, and bank robberies. After making sure the scene was static and citizens were treated for injuries, one of the first things we asked was if they had video surveillance working at the time of the robbery?

It basically comes down to the best way to paint a picture is to have the actual picture; or in today’s case, the video of the incident. Now that I have stressed the importance of using today’s easy to use modern technology from a commercial business point of view, will you use it to help with criminal investigations concerning your neighborhood and community? I know we all want to protect our own “castle,” but like with anything else in life, it takes a village to ensure one’s total peace of mind.

Not every community can afford a night watchman or good witness to stand by and report activities that may be deemed suspicious, or un Cop Lingo, "JDLR" (just doesn't look right).We can arm ourselves or buy security systems to gain added protection for our household, but the big push now is with video surveillance systems. Homeowners can access their systems from a cell phone and even interact with a subject at their door without even being home. So how do we take the next step to provide a safer neighborhood for all?

Police departments know many people have video capability at the palm of their hand. For years, if a crime occurred within a neighborhood, police would go door-to-door to look for a witness, which was time-consuming. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has come up with a database to identify homeowners who have video surveillance systems. This is a voluntary program wherein residents can register their systems with the department. The police do not “hack” into your system! Since some crimes are time sensitive, it assists in going directly to those citizens who have registered with the program instead of the door-to-door method. Sgt. Ryan Bohanon, in charge of the program, stated there are approximately 550 residents who have signed up within the Metro jurisdiction. On a daily basis, detectives check to see if crimes they are investigating are located near those who have registered their systems. He is optimistic that the program will assist in future investigations.

To register, go to LVMPD.com, the community programs tab, then drop down to Vegas SafeCam and scroll to the bottom to the hyperlink to fill out the form. At this time, Metro is the only department in the valley that has this type of program.

Like you and I, along with each and every law enforcement agency, we want the Las Vegas valley to be the safest community in the United States. Thank you and be safe out there!