Police department offering to help buy surveillance equipment

Courtney Orton reportingThe Salt Lake City Police Department is asking businesses to help it keep an eye on criminals through surveillance systems it'll help pay for.

Catching criminals isn't always easy, but police say it's a lot easier if they have the criminal on surveillance video.

Det. Jeff Bedard, with the Salt Lake City Police Department, says, "Quite often when we have robberies or crimes in businesses, one of the ways, if we don't know who the suspects are, that's been instrumental in helping us solve them is by getting surveillance footage of the perpetrators."

Surveillance footage helped catch a burglar last month. It turns out the burglar's father saw the video on TV, recognized his son and called police. And just yesterday police arrested a man they think is the same one as in a surveillance video after viewers recognized him in our newscast.

Eskelson relies on surveillance cameras at the pawn shop on State Street where he works to keep him safe. He says, "We can freeze frame. We've got them going. It's a picture of a face." He adds, "There are places that don't have security cameras, and those are the ones that it's a danger for them."

Det. Bedard said, "When robbers go into businesses and see the security cameras, sometimes that's enough to get them to pass over that business."

That is the police department's goal in offering the reimbursement to businesses, up to $1,500 for installation of surveillance systems. They say if there's a chance it will help catch criminals, they'll take it.

"These security systems can be expensive. We understand that. We have some money that we're willing to help you out with if you are interested in obtaining a security system."

Businesses do have to meet certain criteria. For a list of those conditions and for an application, click on the related link.

Related topics