Peoria residents participate in camera program

It's called the Peoria Safe Cam Program, and it creates a database of home surveillance cameras in the community. During an investigation police officers can pull up the database, and follow up with residents to see if their cameras can help crack the case.

The city already has logged 60 business surveillance camera locations and 30 residential ones.

"We're just gathering information on where the cameras are, what direction do they face, do they face the street, are they being recorded or are they not," said Officer Brandon Sheffert.

Whether it's a burglary or murder, the police departments are turning to cameras to crack cases.

In Glendale this week, residential surveillance cameras led police to a murder suspect. Investigators say cameras caught 19-year-old Aaron Ott running from the scene and then speeding away. Police say he made an arrangement to buy an XBox from the 16-year-old victim. Instead, he allegedly shot and killed the teen for the console before taking off.

"Surveillance video nowadays and the whole theory behind this is just being able to have more efficient access to it, so we can get a suspect into custody," said Sheffert.

Residents participating in Peoria's program voluntarily list their cameras with the city.

"We have absolutely no ownership over the cameras, we have no control over the cameras, in fact, we don't tie into the system so we can't watch it from here," he said.

The program is a new high-tech way residents and police partner to fight crime.

Online: https://www.peoriaaz.gov/NewSecondary.aspx?ekfrm=77222&terms=safe%20cam