After more than a year of offering a security camera registration program, the Elmwood Park Police Department has more than 1,000 participants in its database and recently renewed awareness about the program.
“It’s spread out through the whole town. My goal would be to have a camera view or multiple camera views on each block so if something happens we always have access to something,” police Chief Andrew Hock told Pioneer Press.
According to Hock, there are 1,086 participants in the Elmwood Park Police Department Security Camera Partnership Registration Program, with 75% being residential, 15% businesses and 10% are village.
“The advantage is that if something happens at somebody’s house, having a camera facing on their property is going to help us solve a crime if it does happen (to them) or their neighbor,” said Hock.
Launched in December 2021, the program offers residents and local business owners help with security camera costs.
Participants receive the lesser half of the cost of the camera system or $100, village officials announced in a recent news release about the program.
“In a nutshell, it’s a partnership between the village, the police department and our residents,” said Hock.
He said participants are eligible for one reimbursement per household so if someone buys multiple security cameras, they will be reimbursed only 50% of the cost of one security camera or $100.
“The response has been so positive by the residents in this town that other towns are calling me to say, ‘Hey, can you help us set up this program? We want to do the same thing.’ Our residents are asking for it. This has been nothing but a very positive initiative that the village took forward,” the chief said.
He noted that the police department has spent approximately $8,000 to $10,000 during the first year of the program and he had anticipated spending between $10,000 and $20,000 total.
The village of Elmwood Park’s 2022-2023 budget – which commenced May 1, 2022, and ends April 30, 2023 – appropriated $20,000 for the 50/50 Camera Reimbursement Program.
“It has the eyes and ears out there (versus) how much it would cost to have extra patrols with overtime and everything else to try and help combat crimes. It’s a small price to pay for everything we’re getting out of it,” said Hock.
The police chief said more than a dozen crimes have been solved because of the program.
Only exterior-facing cameras are eligible for reimbursement, the release states.
“We don’t have access to your camera live. All we would have is a screenshot of the view of your camera,” said Hock.
Receipts for camera systems must be provided for reimbursement after an inspection proves that it is installed and properly functioning, and cameras that include views inside a home will not be eligible for the program, the release states.
“It’s got to be a public-way view … that would show either the alleyway in the back or the front of the house where you’ve got the street or sidewalk and parkway,” said Hock, who explained that another requirement for reimbursement is the camera must record video.
He pointed out that residents or businesses looking to participate must have purchased their cameras no earlier than December 2021, when the Village Board approved a resolution adopting the program at the board meeting that same month.
“Say something happens on your block. My officers will (look at) all the houses that participate in this program and what their video would show. If there’s one or multiple views that may be of evidentiary value, that might have captured the offender or crime occurring, they’d contact the owner,” Hock said.
Residents may sign up for the program on the village website, elmwoodpark.org. The online form asks for such information as the camera owner’s name, address of the camera, contact or owner’s email and phone number, and the camera’s make, model and cost.
Reimbursement is 60 days after the purchase of camera equipment, officials announced on the village’s website.
“Our administration’s been so supportive of doing whatever we can do to combat crime. Obviously our goal is to reduce crime,” said Hock.
According to Hock, the number of burglaries – which include residential and motor vehicle – was “extremely low” with 57 in 2022 compared with 32 in 2021 while the number of thefts was 179 in 2022 compared with 265 in 2021.
The village has installed cameras in and around Restaurant Row on North Avenue where several village-owned parking lots are and the village camera system also includes all public parks and playgrounds, schools and the Metra station, the release states.
“Our goal is to let everybody, especially the bad people, know if you come to Elmwood Park and you try to do something, we’re looking to capture what you’ve done and prosecute you,” said Hock, who added that the village’s 50 to 75 camera locations include Grand and Harlem avenues, and Harlem and North avenues.
Jessi Virtusio is a freelancer.
